Jamaica is suffering from a credibility problem and that is affecting every aspect of our lives locally and internationally. As the late prime minister, Michael Manley said, “They lie, they lie,” referring to the opposing political party. But the truth is they all lie!

The present Mannat, Phelps and Phillips affair and past Trafigura scandal has demonstrated a web of deceit, cover-ups and lies at the highest levels of government. The great danger is not to political parties but the irreparable damage in some cases to public trust where even an honest, transparent and forthright government will not be trusted. And there goes our democratic traditions, in comes anarchy.

This country cannot move forward with tainted credibility, integrity and outright corrupt leadership in every sphere: the prime minister, parliamentarians, senators, clergyman, parsons, teachers, police officers, nurses, lawyers, mothers fathers, doctors, and judges, talk show hosts, reporters, journalists, mothers, fathers, businessperson, and criminal, farmer, unemployed or unemployables.

Distrust is at the centre of many murders, strikes, go slows and threats of lock downs that this country faces.

Jamaica needs someone that is akin to a supreme leader a person of the highest integrity that we can all trust his or her judgment. That person, of the highest integrity, must have superior practical understanding and intellect – the levels expected from our intellectual elites, but many of whom have turned out to be a bunch of wimps and political sellouts that cannot be trusted.

The unbiased scientific interpretation of issues of national significance has to be done by a person with the guts and stamina to stand their ground even in the face of death or personal safety in this politically polarized and somewhat ignorant, criminal infested and violent society.

Wanted is a  supreme leader who will stand above partisan politics and keep his/her eyes, mind and mouth in the direction of objective rationality, decency, honesty with truth and the major consideration being the good of the Jamaican people. I wonder if a Grand Wilmot Perkins, Edward Phillip George Seaga, Frank Phipps or a Percival James Patterson is interested.

The first order of business would be to help us determine what is wrong with Jamaica and make corrections to determine which way out of the morass in which we find ourselves.  Our prime minister, Bruce Golding sounded like a supreme leader before the people gave him that position. Do you recall when he said, “I will hound down those leeches and racketeers”?

We should all strive in the spheres of our personal and professional lives to be an example of a supreme leader if Jamaica is to become a better place for all.

If we cannot do this, we may as well allow the dons and criminal enterprise organisations to run things.

Michael Spence
[email protected]
P.O Box 630, Liguanea
Kingston 6



About Mark Lee

Mark Lee has been a long-time journalist writing, editing and producing in print, radio television and new media.