Going back to 'Egypt'?

The Editor, Sir:

The recent spate of criticism of Bruce Golding (some warranted) and the direction in which he is leading cause one to ask several questions, especially of the Opposition.

Would it be better to just sit back and watch the murder rate continue its upward spiral or to use the state of emergency to get some of the guns off the streets?

Would it be better to remake the garrisons or try to get in line with the laws of the land?

Would it be better to just leave the education system the way it was for the past 20-plus years or find ways to make it work for all students?

Would it be better to leave the agricultural sector stagnant or to endeavour to improve production, so we may reduce the costly imports ?

Every one knows that since that bloody election of 1980, we have seen at least 1,000 murders and at that rate more than 30,000 Jamaicans have lost their lives by this route, mostly young males.

I am not a member of either political party but a simple Jamaican observer, but I know that change would have to come! After many missteps, Bruce Golding seems to have come to his senses and has started to lead in a good direction. When one considers the recent polls, we must remember that after losing an election by a landslide, Michael Manley was returned to power some years later; so today's polls should be no shocker in light of Jamaica's voting history.

For those who care to remember the journey of the Israelites in the wilderness, we must recall that they wanted to return to Egypt, where they could get onions and leeks. They murmured against God and even asked: "Can god create meat for his people in the desert?" He did satisfy their lust by sending flocks of quails among them and they did eat meat to their fullest. He did send down manna as food :See Exodus 16:35.

Now Jamaica is in that same stage; the people can clamour for the old ways and a return to garrison politics, and I believe they will surely get it in less that three years! But those Christians who care to learn can read the whole of Psalms 78 and digest how good was Yahweh.

When the whole picture is reviewed, some will see that a little hardship is way better that returning to Egypt, figuratively speaking, of course.

I am, etc.,

TYRONE OSBORNE

Kutuki23@gmail.com

Orlando, Florida