Garth Rattray | No Third-World excuses, please

Countries/nations used to be designated as First World, Second World, Third World and, later on, Fourth World. First-World countries were “… developed, capitalist, industrial countries, generally aligned with NATO and the United States of America (USA)”. The term was a sociopolitical-economic label for those counties that shared political and economic interests with the USA.

Obviously, these countries included North America and Western Europe. It also included countries that were associated with the West, like Western Sahara, South Africa (despite its apartheid regime), South West Africa (renamed Namibia), Angola and Mozambique (both were run by Portuguese companies). Neutral states, like Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Ireland and Finland, were also designated ‘First World’. Second-World countries were designated as such because they were communist-socialist, and were the less industrialised (Eastern bloc) states. They also included Asian communist states.

Designated Third-World countries were seen as poor, underdeveloped, dependent on more advanced countries, vulnerable to exploitation, unstable and possessing an undereducated populace. They were often formerly colonialised. Their categorisation was also based on their political rights, civil liberties, the gross national income (GNI) and freedom of information.

The term ‘Fourth World’ was used in reference to cultural/ethnic entities, the indigenous peoples living within a state. Examples of this would have been the indigenous people of Australia and the Americas. We do not have to experience zinc-fenced communities, disenfranchised communities, children growing up in squalor and with hate/violence. Traditionally, these people are not endowed with self-government, and are often subjected to some form of discrimination. They operated as a cultural nation within a nation but cannot legally engage in succession.

DISTASTEFUL

Nowadays, classifying countries as ‘Third World’ is considered distasteful, and is therefore generally outdated. The United Nations now classifies countries as developed and developing. However, there appears to be no consensus on that categorisation. Now, the World Bank classifies countries as high-income, upper- or lower-middle-income, and low-income. A country’s GNI determines its classification. Despite our manifested poverty, unacceptable number of undereducated and uneducated citizens, dependence on high-income countries, Jamaica is considered as upper-middle-income because our GNI per capita is US$4,990 (according to 2018 World Bank figures).

I strongly believe that Jamaica can improve itself immensely; we do not have to suffer the anarchy in the streets, and the burgeoning subculture of crime and gangland ‘justice’. We can do much better if we instil societal order, discipline, good infrastructure and amenities for poor communities. We should closely monitor our children during their formative years, enforcement of mandatory education for our children, and ways to defeat our systemic corruption. But we always come up with (what I call) Third-World excuses.

Third-World excuses claim that we are too underfunded, undermanned, and too underdeveloped to get essential things done in order to improve the lot of our everyday citizens. They are self-defeating, and reek of impotence and dependency on the (conditional) ‘charities’ of more developed countries. These excuses echo the shriek of capitulation to situations that we can control, if we ignore possible political ramifications and only consider our country’s future. We must condemn politicism and be innovative…or else.

An example of this is the indiscipline in the streets, especially regarding our public transport sector. We only carry out brief ‘campaigns’ against dark tints, sports rims, and loud music on route taxis and minibuses. But these campaigns fizzle out quickly, and the owners/operators know this. Currently, road users do whatever they please, no matter how ridiculous or dangerous. We must find ways to stop the madness, and regain control of the streets, if we want to defeat crime in general…it’s simple psychology. Order begets order, and disorder begets disorder. When all road-users must obey rules and regulations, that inculcation is transferred into their day-to-day activities. The Third-World excuse is always a perennial lack of personnel and funds to maintain enforcement of the rules.

ENDEMIC CORRUPTION

Another example is endemic corruption. This toxin runs deep throughout our society. If people want to get anything done without undue hassle, they often need to ‘let off something’. Corruption is a ubiquitous, thriving, and tax-free industry. We would end corruption were it not for all the Third-World excuses of ‘official’ procedures, lack of personnel, ‘horse dead and crow fat’.

We invoke the Third-World excuse of lack of social workers and funds to closely monitor our children throughout their developmental stages. Many of the underprivileged children who are subjected to severe environmental, psychological, physical, and sexual abuse grow into the violent antisocial and psychopathic monsters who commit unspeakable crimes. Until we stop making excuses for not seeing to their well-being, the nightmare of ghoulish crimes will never end.

Third-World excuses are replete with fatalistic thinking and political expedience. We deliberate on why we can’t get things done, instead of having the will to do what needs to be done. Despite our current designation as an upper-middle-income country, our Third-World excuses keep us trapped in the mindset of a backward country…which is the Third-World paradigm.

Jamaica may never become a high-income country, but we can become relatively crime-free, productive and prosperous. We can become the Jamaica that most of us desire, and we will attract more investors and returning residents…if we stop making excuses for our failures.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.