Lies, lies and more lies

Our school system has used memory gems such as 'Speak the truth and speak it ever, cost it what it will' to reinforce the concept of truth-telling. I sincerely believe that most Jamaicans prefer to be told the truth rather than to be lied to. This is why they detest liars and often mercilessly discipline their children for lying to them. Many of us grew up learning that 'every liar is a thief'. In other words, we should not trust people who lie to us because 'lying lips are an abomination to the Lord'.

It is against this background that so many Jamaicans are viewing what appears to be a culture of lying by some members of our government. As a good friend said recently, this Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government came to power on the mantra of 'jobs, jobs and more jobs', but having failed to deliver those jobs has resorted to 'lies, lies and more lies' as a critical part of its modus operandi. Sadly, I must concur with this view. The evidence in support of it is embarrassingly too overwhelming.

The current controversy about the 'spy plane' which was clearly seen, in print and video, flying over Tivoli Gardens in May 2010, is a classic case in point. Its role was denied by Minister of Information Daryl Vaz and Prime Minister Bruce Golding last year. This year, the denial is by Minister of National Security Dwight Nelson. Yet, the truth exposed by a foreign journalist is that the US spy plane was helping our Government with its full knowledge and consent.

Why, therefore, did our government ministers and others in the Jamaica Defence Force so blatantly lie to the Jamaican people? Certainly, ignorance cannot be advanced as an excuse. A Gleaner story of February 18, 2011, titled 'Unacceptable', stated: "Minister of National Security Dwight Nelson yesterday pronounced as flawed the controversial decision of former National Security Minister Dr Peter Phillips to sign four memoranda of understanding without informing then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson or seeking Cabinet's approval.

"Nelson also accused Phillips of breaching his oath of office as a minister by unilaterally acting without the blessing of Cabinet.

"He told the commission that he believed, given the convention of collective responsibility, it was 'unacceptable' for Cabinet ministers to be made responsible for actions of which they were unaware."

If this was true when it was said to the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry, then Prime Minister Andrew Holness, like Dwight Nelson, Daryl Vaz and Ken Baugh who were part of the Cabinet in May 2010, ought to have known of this agreement to use the spy plane in parts of Kingston. That is what collective responsibility is about, according to Minister Nelson. It was endorsed by the report of the Emil George-led commission of enquiry, which was accepted by the Bruce Golding Cabinet of which Mr Holness was a senior member.

As a country, we must recognise there is no PNP truth or JLP truth, just as right is right and wrong is wrong, no matter who is involved. Truth is simply absolute. Prosperity will not come to our nation until we accept that our founding fathers were correct in demanding that truth should be ours forever. When we start holding our leaders to this high moral standard, foregoing partisan bias and interests, Jamaica will find greater unity, which is an essential condition if this nation is to make real progress.

Unfortunately, the culture of lying seems to be continuing at full speed under the leadership of our new prime minister. In his swearing-in speech, as well as those to his party conference and election announcement, he has made many pronouncements which seem to be at variance with the truth. The disastrous impact of recent television fact checks of the prime minister, when his many false statements were exposed, should be a wake-up call for those political leaders who believe that inaccuracies and downright lies from them is no big thing.

For our prime minister to tell us that the people don't care about a "little error" is, at best, disingenuous. Attacking the media and media personalities because you don't like their promotion of truth is unworthy of the prime minister and his party. The appointment to his Cabinet of a person who openly lied to the Supreme Court of Jamaica in order to personally benefit from an unlawful act does not augur well for the prime minister's judgement and credibility.

This conduct of our current prime minister, coming so soon after the hasty departure of his predecessor who was labelled "pathologically mendacious", raises serious questions as to whether trust should be reposed in him.

Tomorrow is nomination day for the general election scheduled for December 29. The Jamaican people will be given an opportunity to reaffirm the nation's faith in truth-telling, as demanded by our nation anthem, our Christian values, common decency and respect for integrity. Truth, they say, will set us free, and my wish for this nation is that on election day, our voters will elevate, by their franchise, the culture of truth.

As we enter the year we celebrate our 50th year of Independence let us reaffirm that 'Justice, Truth be ours Forever'.

May we have a peaceful election and I wish my readers a merry Christmas.

Lambert Brown is president of the University and Allied Workers Union. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and Labpoyh@yahoo.com.