One cloth or the other

Dr Mark Nicely, Guest Columnist

There is a view held by many Jamaicans that every individual is or has to be attached to one political party or the other. The impression is that you are either green or orange, and based on the colour you are thought to represent, your opinions, beliefs and way of life are determined. Many Jamaicans have a difficulty believing that an individual can exist without being aligned to either of the two dominant political parties.

I dare say that it is possible for a Jamaican national to be politically neutral and not be consumed or distracted by a political activist clothed in green or orange. Your politics or political affiliation should not be about colour. For some, it's all about the clothing. We see them on political campaigns; we see them in communities outside of the campaign in their colour-coded clothing of identity. Who will volunteer to tell these persons that it's not about the cloth! We need to get to work quickly to dissuade our brothers and sisters from being continuously woven into this kind of politics.

A truly liberated human being is one who recognises and expresses the God-given ability to choose. A truly liberated human being also recognises his or her value and so cannot be defined by others. Such a Jamaican can, in fact, make valuable and worthwhile contributions to national development.

SHUNNING BASE POLITICS

This country is filled with many liberated Jamaicans who possess objective and neutral minds and who can think, talk and act without resorting to, or engaging in, base politics. As a matter of fact, thinking outside of the green and orange boxes would actually advance quality governance in our country.

There are many prominent Jamaicans who are strong, bold, articulate and witty, even, in their pronouncements on issues that affect us as a country. However, these same persons are voluntarily quiet when it comes to 'sounding off' on our politics.

This country needs men and women with backbone, men and women who will not make party politics cloud their judgement of right or wrong. We need a nation of decisive thinkers who examine issues on their own merit and who are not afraid to stand up, stand out and let their voices by heard.

Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating for Jamaicans to totally dissociate themselves from our current political governance structure, as politics, by definition, is good, since it should promote democracy and accountability and create a structure for managing the country's affairs while at the same time facilitating order and orderliness.

My country, Jamaica, has enough room for everyone to co-exist - those clothed in green, orange and blue; as well as the eclectic and the neutral. It is this difference and the synergy that will allow us to create the kind of Jamaica that will help us to realise Vision 2013, which is the "road map for making Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business". This is a vision to which we should all aspire; a vision of a "liberated Jamaica". It was Marcus Garvey who said, "Liberate the minds of men and ultimately you will liberate the bodies of men".

As for me, I am a liberated citizen of the world.

Dr Mark Nicely is president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association.