The Tipping Point

 The Tipping Point

In epidemiology the ‘Tipping Point’ is when an infectious disease reaches a point beyond any local ability to control it from spreading more widely. The epidemiological tipping point implies that once that point is reached, there is nothing that can be done. In Jamaica we are rapidly heading towards that point.

However, tipping points are not just in epidemiology. Every society, is devolving or evolving. By that I mean they are either going down or improving. Static societies if they ever did exist in prehistoric times, no longer exist. Jamaica, despite some promising things, overall, Jamaica is devolving – going down. Our politics is mired in a swamp of corruption, nepotism, clientelism and cronyism.

For the American colonies, the tipping point was the British tax on tea. For the British Empire, the tipping point was World War I. For Hitler the tipping point was the Chancellery fire. For Rwanda, the tipping point was the tribal massacres. The massive explosion in Beirut may be the tipping point for Lebanon. Tipping points are not limited to events. People can be tipping points. Ghandi was the tipping point for India. Mandela for South Africa. Fidel for Cuba. Michael Manley came close to being a tipping point for Jamaica.

For most Jamaicans, their country is devolving. This has been going on for a long time. I abandoned the sinking ship of Jamaica in 1990 because I thought collapse was imminent. To my surprise, the ship is still sinking but the band still plays on – twenty years later! Jamaica has obviously not reached its tipping point. However, I wonder if the virus crisis and the looming economic tsunami may be Jamaica’s tipping point eventually - hence the reason to rush the election. Because the whole world is broke, no one can come to Jamaica’s aid this time.

The problem with tipping points is that they can tip forward to progress or backwards to chaos, fascism and/or dictatorship. Which way will Jamaica tip? I know it looks like we are surrounded by incompetence and corruption but I urge Jamaicans to figure out the less harmful option and vote for it. Jamaica goes to the polls shortly. Your vote might just tip the balance in the right direction.

Cheers!

Raymond D. Grant

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Uncle Louis

Image
Prof. Louis Grant, 1913 - 1993 By Dr. Rebecca Tortello The saying   "we likkle but we tallawah"  can be applied to many aspects of Jamaican life, not the least of which is Jamaica's contribution to world science. This article, the first in a two-part series featuring Jamaican scientists, considers the work of Professor Louis Grant, microbiologist, one of those whose work had immense local and international impact. PROF. LOUIS GRANT, M.D., C.H., M.P.H., DIP BACT., FAPHA, F.C. PATH, F.A.A.N. (1913-1993) A microbiologist and pathologist, Prof. Louis Grant was affiliated with the University of the West Indies for 20 years where he achieved the highest academic honour, being named professor emeritus in microbiology. Young Louis Grant was surrounded by science from an early age ­ born in Vere, Clarendon in 1913, his father worked in a chemical laboratory at the Appleton Estate. As a student, Grant showed promise and received the Vere Trust scholarship to attend Jamaica College....
Read more

Impact of Migration and Ageing on Jamaica

Impact of migration and ageing on Jamaica Jamaica will not be able ..'to create an environment that encourages skilled individuals to stay in Jamaica..' simply because the political leadership has created a situation where the Jamaican economy is unable to provide the wages, benefits and quality of life available in the developed countries. Reducing dependence on remittances and 'creating a diverse and resilient economy' is easier said than done. The writer does not say how to do this. Creating 'a diverse and resilient economy' is hard. Our politicians are corrupt and lazy so that ain't gonna happen. They would much rather continue to depend on our remittances. The politicians and the elite corporate class do not depend on the public health system. The politicians and the elite corporate class go abroad for specialized health care and when they die, they often die in private health facilities abroad. While money can always be found to increase politicians...
Read more

dem tek wi fi eediat....

  https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/a-not-so-happy-birthday-pnp_232014?profile=1096 The political establishment's vision for Jamaica is a country with a robust tourism sector that enriches the tourism moguls (mostly foreigners) while Jamaicans who can get jobs in the tourism industry, work for peanuts under terrible working conditions. I used to visit Jamaica and talk to the resort workers......Those who can't be employed in the tourist sector must work in call centre sweat shops - again for peanuts. Di rest? They don't really care and have no plan for...Dem cyan dead for all dem care... The political establishment flails about having few options so they focus on enriching themselves. To sever the ties with the corporate class or tourism moguls may cause that class to flee to neighboring countries - taking their capital with them. That's what happened to Michael Manley who didn't really, just hinted at it. I was there. I saw it and the destabilization that fol...
Read more