Chattering....
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/brogad-follow-busta-not-seaga_202709?profile=1234
As one who is in the 'discredited, copycat, chattering class' I will try to explain to this writer why we in this class call for independent senators, fixed election dates, impeachment laws..' and the other so-called 'governance gimmicks' which I assume include constitutional and electoral reforms. In addition, to root our corruption I call for the removal of the Tax Compliance and Enforcement Department from the control of the Ministry of Finance, converting it to an arms length agency independent of the political directorate. That way, we can use Income Tax Enforcement to catch and imprison criminals including high-up white collar criminals up to and including a Prime Minister if necessary. This ain't gonna ever happen under the current guys making up the political establishment. That would be like asking the fox nicely to give up raiding our hen house. It is in the nature of the fox to thief our eggs an chickens. It is in the nature of our politicians (and those worldwide) to tief too. We have to stop being naive and understand that simple fact. Oversight, checks and balances are needed over those we put in power over us. There is no traction for these things in Jamaica because people lack the understanding of the link between these things and their daily lives. For example, when a tief bruk into our house and steals our stuff, we get mad - immediately. However, when the national treasury is raided in a corrupt manner, the average person does not feel the pain - not immediately anyway. However, when corruption runs into the billions of dollars that it has risen to over the years, there are economic impacts - bad ones. There is less money to fix roads and to do other public services used by all of us. In the same way, the average person does not see the value of constitutional reform; a wha dat for? The reason why constitutional reform is important is because for example, in the case of the Privy Council in Britain being our final court of appeal, accused persons and aggrieved (civil) perssons have to go to great expense to get that final appeal. Again, most of us don't commit crimes that would take us that route or ever sue someone so the average person does not see the need for that reform of an inefficient and unjust legal system. However, if you are ever mistakenly or unjustly accused of a crime, dawg will nyam yuh suppa. Again, most people don't care about police corruption until one of their loved ones is unjustly killed by the police. People just are like that - looking out for their self interest not realizing that it is in our self-interest to do these things because one day, it may be our or your turn. Some of the same legal reforms that this writer is calling for will never happen under this political establishment. They have had nearly sixty years to fix these basic things. It is time for a change...
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