Resigning from Jamaica

I didn't plan on commenting on the resignation of former GraceKennedy executive, renown and highly-respected businessman, James Moss Solomon, from the chairmanship of the Scientific Research Council and as a board member of the University Hospital of the West Indies and the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences. I believe that his act was extremely effective in getting his message of frustration out and I had nothing to add. However, I was drawn in by the deluge of online comments in response to articles on the matter in The Gleaner.

In his various interviews and statements since the very public display of disappointment in and disgust for our perniciously corrupt and statically puerile political system, he has repeatedly quoted from his letter of resignation, in which he wrote, "This resignation is due to my inability to accept the numerous incidents that impugn the credibility and honesty of those elected to serve the nation from both sides of Parliament". Judging from the online comments, all, except a very small percentage of readers, support Mr Moss Solomon in his decision.

gentle chiding

The Government's spokesman and minister of information, Daryl Vaz, was extremely circumspect in his comments on Mr Moss Solomon's resignations, but a few others gently chided him for choosing to resign instead of trying to effect change from within the system. My opinion is that he has already served his country well, and our political system is so concretised in dishonesty, self-interest and preservation of the status quo that it will take several events of epic proportions, or many years of dissent, to bring about any meaningful change.

The fact of the matter is that many - perhaps most - people have long ago resigned from Jamaica ... given up on trying to improve this country. In other words, they, including many politicians, have decided to look out for themselves, their political party (or company or job or family) and get whatever they can get from Jamaica.

Those individuals made up their minds that they cannot change the system, so they work with and within it to benefit themselves. They do not physically resign from anything. They may even be very prominent public figures, but they have mentally resigned from this country. This is one reason why things don't change - because people have been acculturated, coerced or frustrated into conforming or acquiescing.

Many people resign from Jamaica by migrating. My brother-in-law was a very active, behind-the-scenes worker in one of our two major political parties. He sacrificed his time and energy.

seduced and driven

He was seduced and driven by the promise and hope of a better country until he realised that he was only being used to further the political careers of certain individuals. Although despairing, his final comedic words before resigning from Jamaica and migrating overseas were, "Mi ah go leffi gi dem".

Others resign from Jamaica but live and work here to support their lifestyles abroad. There are more 'dual citizens' here than most people realise. Innumerable others have resigned from Jamaica and educate their children abroad because they want either to make them into citizens of a safer and developed country, or to give them the educational tools and opportunity to decide where they want to contribute to society.

Mr Moss Solomon's resignations certainly got our attention. His unselfish act spoke resounding volumes about the disenamoured public figure. However, he has only resigned from a number of boards, not from Jamaica. Our country is teetering because countless others have quietly resigned from Jamaica (psychologically) yet, unfortunately for us, no one is taking notice of them.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Feedback may be sent to garthrattray@gmail.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.