Jamaica left behind

Glenn Tucker, guest columnist

A Bill Johnson poll, conducted between late May and early June, revealed that 60 per cent of Jamaicans held the view that the country would be better off under British rule. Twenty-three per cent said they did not know, and only 17 per cent felt that we would be worse off. This seemed to surprise a lot of us, and most of what I have been hearing suggests that it is felt that the roughly 83 per cent were unpatriotic and had no sense of nationalism.

But should we condemn them so quickly without knowing why they feel the way they do?

There are still some countries that have not severed their links with Britain. Some are in this region. Many of our citizens are living in these countries. And what is happening in these territories? Let's look at The Cayman Islands, The British Virgin Islands, and Bermuda. These territories are small, with little arable land and no deposits like bauxite. I remember a New York Times article about The Cayman Islands written about the time of our Independence. The title was 'The Islands Time Forgot'. Space does not permit, so we have to rely on some statistics.

Far ahead of jamaica

Today, with almost 100 per cent literacy and an average income of CI$47,000, Cayman enjoys the highest standard of living in the Caribbean and the 14th highest in the world. Boasting 279 banks, it is the fifth-largest banking centre in the world with US$1.5 trillion in banking liabilities. It is also the world's largest hedge-fund jurisdiction.

As an offshore financial centre, The British Virgin Islands enjoys one of the most prosperous economies in the Caribbean. Some 45 per cent of its income comes from tourism. Most of the rest is from financial services. Growth last year was seven per cent, and the per capita GDP is US$38,500.

Bermuda placed third overall of six developed nations - including the US - Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey. Life expectancy is 77.2 years for men and 83.7 years for women. The growth rate is 8.7 per cent and a per capita GDP of US$69,900 makes Bermuda's the highest in the world.

Perhaps people are looking at these developments and thinking we should, with our land, resources and other endowments, be much further ahead. After all, our per capita GDP is only US$7,500 - a fraction of the others.

Part of an Amnesty International report about us went something like this: "... Loss of life at the hands of the Jamaica Constabulary borders on a human rights emergency ... . In a country with only 2.7 million people, 1,400 persons were killed by police over the last 10 years ... the highest in the world ... ." I tried, without success, to find similar statistics for the other countries. What I do know is that a stir was created about three weeks ago when a policeman shot and killed a dog in the BVI. An immediate investigation was launched into the matter and it is being closely monitored by animal-rights groups.

I have never been able to understand Einstein's disdain for nationalism. In 1921, at the end of a heated discussion, he declared: "... Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind." Ten years later, Richard Aldington, writing The Colonel's Daughter, expressed his feelings on the matter this way: "Patriotism is a lively sense of responsibility. Nationalism as a silly cock crowing on its own dunghill." Maybe it is possible to be a patriot and not a nationalist.

None of us knows exactly what was in the minds of Manley and Bustamante when they went to England for 'Independence' talks. My own feeling on the matter is that the survival of a nation depends on a promise of prosperity and a programme for posterity. How are we doing?

Glenn Tucker is an educator and sociologist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and glenntucker2011@gmail.com.