ON
VOTING...
GENERATION
BARRIER IN POLITICS
I
am not enumerated, due to the fact that I have not been orientated
in an environment where it is the top of the agenda to vote.
There is a traditional generation barrier within the political
system because people vote for who they see others in their
community voting for, or if their family is a die-hard PNP
or JLP they do the same. I don't think that the Jamaican populace
has been sensitised to the whole political system. If it were
so people would wage their vote on the betterment of the country.
I don't believe that the average Jamaican understands what
is going on.
-
Jean Binns
FIRST
INNER-CITY IMPROVEMENT, THEN VOTES
I
wasn't planning to vote, because of what's in politics now.
It's a lot of corruption and I don't want to be a part of
that. There is one thing that can let me be a part of it:
improvement in most of the inner-city -- the roads fixed and
the cleaning up of the communities. Many people, like the
older heads, are suffering a lot and I look at that and say,
what are the politicians doing? How do you vote for these
people to run this country if they are not improving things?
-
Michael McLennon
WE
HAVE TO PARTICIPATE
For
us to effect any change we have to participate. We cannot
expect the Government to do what we want unless we become
involved by exercising our basic right, which many people
in this world do not have -- political freedom. The understanding
of politics is based at two levels: you have the middle and
the upper classes who believe in capitalism, and they will
support the Government who will enable them to make better
returns on investments and all those things; and the lower
class who is usually uneducated, that is not schooled to the
tertiary level --they tend to have this dependency syndrome.
Many do not realise that our politicians -- basically the
Government -- is accountable to the people of Jamaica.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
WE
HAVE THE POWER, NOT GOVERNMENT
Our
lives are affected by politics on a day-to-day basis. Government
is only one area. We think Government has power but we are
the ones who have it. We are the ones who transfer this power
to the representatives. The problem arises where people have
this infidelity and doubt about voting. Socialisation has
a lot to do with it -- for example if your parents lack confidence
in the political system this gets passed on to their children,
and you find out that the younger generation now tends to
have this negative outlook on politics. What we need to do
for ourselves is to get empowered through education, because
you become more informed, more rational, you are able to make
an input in national policies.
-
Jalvin McCalla
VOTES
REST ON MONEY, NOT PERFORMANCE
I
am enumerated. The politics as I see it now it's not good.
I feel that majority of the voters are average persons. They
are not voting based on policies, but mainly on what can be
done at this time in the campaign, the money they are getting,
the joyride. The 'diehearted' basically make no contribution
until when it's election time, you see them on the campaign
trail. I don't think they are educated enough to really think
and weigh who is best to be in control of the Government for
the next period.
-
Clif Francis
TOO
MANY FALSE PROMISES
I
am not enumerated and quite honestly I have no intention of
voting. I grew up in a PNP constituency, but in my household
voting was never of paramount importance so I don't place
much importance on it. I think both parties are guilty of
using psychology on the Jamaican people. False promises are
a part of election campaigning; that's something that Jamaicans
have accepted.
-
Taayoo Murray
ON
VOTER RESPONSIBILITY...
JAMAICANS
DON'T KNOW THEIR RIGHTS
I
think people have a serious responsibility but whether or
not they are equipped to handle the responsibility is a totally
different thing. Jamaicans don't know their basic rights so
how would they know to exercise those rights?
-
Taayoo Murray
NO
POWER IN A LONE VOICE
We
do have the power but to what extent? In Jamaica we practically
have none, and you know you need a quorum to at least make
something happen. As much as it sounds nice in words, you
know it's not practical.
-
Jean Binns
THE
AVERAGE MAN KNOWS HIS POLITICS
The
average man knows his politics. If you listen to the talk
shows, people put forward some very interesting issues. They
know the issues, the problem is that they do not really know
how to implement or act on those things that they say. To
say that they do not know their rights, I think we are going
too far to say that. From you enter high school you are doing
civics. You have a section where you have the Social Studies
curriculum, a section dealing with a lot of history and geography,
especially in grade nine where we deal with consumerism and
Government.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
ON
THE PARTIES' MANIFESTOS...
A
BAG OF QUOTES
I
think it's at bag of quotes, not a package of reality.
-
Jean Binns
IGNORES
EMERGING ISSUES
I
was at work on Sunday evening (September 22) reading The
Gleaner and watching the buses going up to Half-Way Tree.
The date for election was just announced and I heard nothing
about the IMF report, though it is significant to any party
which is going to come into power. The headline actually read
'IMF fails Jamaica'. My point is, that is just one of the
emerging issues that should be discussed before making such
a pivotal decision, and the average voting person doesn't
know about it or doesn't care to understand or probably doesn't
have the capacity to understand what effect it is going to
have on our society and economy. In terms of education --
practically it would have to be a partnership, because even
if I were to provide the literature, if you are not interested
it wouldn't make sense. Inculcating the actual desire in the
average person to be informed, I suppose, is the first and
hardest step, because if you don't want to know I cannot help
you, but then again we see too often such psychological games
being played in feeding people with what we think they should
know or showing them the way we think it should go.
-
Taayoo Murray
ON
THE CULTURE OF ELECTIONS...
SETTLING
DIFFERENCES AT GUNPOINT
My
parents have never voted. Back in the 1960s, within the 60s
or 1969 when my grandfather was alive he was involved a bit
in a particular political party. My mother said my grandparents'
house was used as a polling station, and saw an incident there
that really turned her off. She saw two brothers pull guns
on each other because they supported different sides.
-
Clif Francis
MORE
OF THE SAME
It
is still the same. We have not moved away from the old time
politics. As a matter of fact, we are going to leave Kingston
for that period. I am not from Kingston and if I could leave
the island I would but I have a test the next day.
-
Jean Binns
AFRAID
OF STRAY BULLETS
I
plan to tell my boss that I will not be at work. I work on
Hagley Park Road, right opposite to Dr. Peter Phillips' place.
I refuse to be there on election day. I don't want any stray
bullets to catch me.
-
Taayoo Murray
THE
DUTY TO INFORM
I
think what my colleagues from UTech are saying now, is the
result of political socialisation, where we have parents who
are uncommitted but who are also the primary agents for educating
us about politics. It is the duty of the schools and other
formal organisations to show the merits of being involved.
Even if we have children or people in our generation who are
uncommitted, if the formal or secondary institutions are more
involved in telling us about the merits of participating we
would have a higher percentage of people in my generation
engaged in politics.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
ON
POLITICS ON CAMPUS...
DON'T
GET INVOLVED
I
was public relations officer for the Students Union last year
and we were approached to have a forum about, not even on
political issues, but it would be the PNPYO that would be
hosting this forum. We were advised by the UTech administration
to shy away from having any form of political affiliation.
We have been approached by both youth groups, G2K and PNPYO,
on numerous occasions and we have been advised to shy away
from them. In addition, when we were seeking sponsorship,
we were strongly advised against taking any form of financial
contribution from any major businessman that has any affiliation
to any political party. They don't want a PNP or JLP stronghold
on the campus.
-
Taayoo Murray
NOT
ON OUR CAMPUS
Even
for our handing over ceremony last Saturday, the campus was
disgruntled. Our guest speaker was a candidate of this election
and they thought he was looking votes and so left until he
finished his speech. Whichever party the candidates are from,
the campus population say they do not approve of it.
-
Jean Binns
ON
FREE EDUCATION...
PNP
PLAN MORE BELIEVABLE
The
JLP is trying just to win the election, to take over, but
what they are saying is only empty promises. The way I see
it, there is no free education. I believe what the PNP party
is saying is that they are fixing things together so by 2005
that will come through.
-
Michael McLennon
SOMEBODY
HAS TO PAY
The
whole education issue is a very sensitive one. Any nation
that makes education a priority is heading in the right direction.
The Patterson administration usually took care of all aspects
of education, financing the schools all the way. After a while
they phased it out, and were only giving grants to the school.
Now, they see that if you don't make education a national
policy then you are not on the right road, so you notice this
thing has come back to haunt them. It's the mistake that was
made before they are trying to rectify now. But, I don't believe
that anything is free, somebody has to pay. So free education
is just a floating word. Manley tried it, and it didn't work
because the expense on the country was too much. There ought
to be some initiative in place to defray some of the cost
from education, but to say 'free education' totally, with
the debt that we have and the type of society, I don't think
Jamaica can afford it.
-
Jalvin McCalla
NOT
LIKELY IN MY LIFETIME
I
don't want to even say I am pessimistic, but I don't see it
coming for Jamaica -- probably when I have my great grand
kids. The money has to come from somewhere to send the students
to school for free. There should be systems and leeways for
those who can't pay. We just have to accept that there are
people like that in our society, and I think there should
be some things implemented to evaluate and determine who are
the needy.
-
Jean Binns
ON
JOB PROSPECTS AND PRIORITIES...
NOTHING
FOR US HERE
I
don't believe that the Government provides a good environment
for us to find jobs, because that's why people get their education
and now they just migrate for better opportunity. I think
if there was some form of assurance for us we would put back
into our country and make it better, but I don't think there
is anything for young people here. Jamaica is retirement.
-
Jean Binns
GO
FOR WHAT THE MARKET NEEDS
In
terms of job opportunities for example, tertiary level students,
it depends on the courses they are doing. For example, teaching
-- you know that Jamaica is in need of teachers right now,
so you are going to find out that a lot of people get jobs
in that area.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
EDUCATION
AND EMPLOYMENT NEEDED
The
priority should be placed on education and advancement opportunities
for the youths. That's the main thing. If you get that on
stream by whatever means--whether you create more jobs by
setting up factories, businesses, loans to set up business--get
it done. When that happens you find out then now that crime
and violence will start to take a turn. Crime stems from deprivation.
The only breeding ground is lack of employment and employment
opportunities.
-
Jalvin McCalla
TOURISM
IS PRIORITY, THEN EDUCATION
The
state the country is in now, free education is not feasible.
When it comes on to tourism, that could be a big boost for
the country. But I don't feel it is marketed properly. They
just go to the United States, while there is South America
and Europe -- not just England and Germany. Europe is big
and what I feel is basically holding them back a bit is where
education comes in. How many persons out here have a second
language? Where are the Jamaicans that are fluent in French
and other languages?
-
Clif Francis
ON
INNER CITY VOTING...
CASHING
IN THE INNER-CITY VOTE
All
facilities are needed, for instance we don't have proper electricity
set up in the communities. You don't have good bathroom facilities
in the inner city so we need those. The way I see it, most
young men vote because the representatives come in at election
time and start issuing money. Because the people are in need
they say all right let me take it. They are not taking their
vote for anything.
-
Michael McLennon
FAVOURS
DOMINATE ISSUES
That
goes back to the political socialisation. Many people vote
because of what the person they put in can do for them. They
don't really vote for the person who is better able to make
a contribution.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
MY
MP RETURNED MY CALL
Sometimes
I wonder if politicians really do care about Jamaica. It's
just fortunate for me that I live in a constituency where
90 per cent of the people can actually see that their Member
of Parliament is working. I am an average person and I have
called Mr. Roger Clarke (MP-North East St. Elizabeth), leave
a message and my number, and he actually calls me back. And,
you actually see him doing things in the constituency. I am
wondering if some of the MPs actually care or is it just an
opportunity to see what they can get for themselves.
-
Taayoo Murray
ON
CORRUPTION...
THE
RICH ARE FAILING AS WATCHDOGS
The
rich who know about the functioning of the Government, do
not contribute as much as how they should to nation building,
political discussions, and the issues. They do not really
discuss it with everyone, just in their little cliques or
groups. They may sometimes have some reservation about speaking
out against a particular person.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
HANDOUT
CULTURE FOSTERS CORRUPTION
As
our old grandparents would say, if you want good your nose
have to run. Many of these people, parents are lazy, because
a lot of help is out there. A lot of people want to have their
children's school fees paid.
-
Michael McLennon
DO
WHAT IT TAKES
I
feel if people should start to really think along the lines
that Michael is saying, be creative, it would raise their
level of thinking to even rid this country of corruption.
If it means getting rid of the present political grouping,
then do it.
-
Clif Francis
ON
POLITICAL LEADERS...
THEY
HAVE DONE WELL, IN THE PAST
They
have done well, they have contributed. Whether they are contributing
now is a question that is very much debatable, along with
their capacity to continue. At this stage we probably need
somebody with more energy and more innovation working with
the guidance of the experienced leaders.
-
Taayoo Murray
THEY
ARE TIRED
I
didn't want to say it -- but they are tired. I remember once
I met with the Prime Minister and the first thing I said to
him was: "Mr. Patterson, you look so tired, you look weary."
I said to him, "How often do you sleep?" It's as if he has
the entire burden of the country on his shoulder and everything
that happens he is blamed, whether he is directly responsible
or not.
-
Jean Binns
OLD
AND DECAYING
The
youths are more in tune with the changes which we are having
and it is just for them to make themselves available to lead.
But some of the older people do not want to let go of the
power of leadership. I consider the leadership of this country
old and decaying. We need to have more youths and not these
old men. What they could do is just be in the background and
guide us, let us lead, let us make the decisions. There are
certain things that would have made Jamaica better but because
they are old they do not want to take the risk, the chance.
Because we are young and we are risk-takers we will be better
able to take certain risks to make the country better.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
ON
GRADING THE GOVERNMENT...
AVERAGE
PERFORMANCE
Out
of ten I give it five. They have good things, they have bad
things. They are trying for social change in Jamaica, and
to build up the infrastructure. However, some things were
just inevitable, for example cellular technology was around
from the 1980s.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
SURFACE
ATTENTION
Improvements
are cosmetic. Then again as you see, as you talk about the
infrastructure, I believe that they only fix up around the
surface, areas you can view.
-
Jean Binns
JOBS,
PENSIONERS AND CRIME NEED ATTENTION
I
would give them a seven. Transportation is really good, and
the roads are getting a lot of improvement. I see only about
three things they are not looking at fully as yet -- the people
who are in the communities and jobs; those who are retired;
and they have a bit more to do when it comes to crime.
-
Michael McLennon
STUCK
IN THE PAST
I
think where leadership is concerned, they are clinging to
the old methods used in the past to reshape the future, and
that cannot be. We should hold on to the principles that are
honest and look at more creative ways to enhance the future.
-
Jalvin McCalla
ON
THE ROLE OF YOUNG PEOPLE...
DEMAND
APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATION
I
would like to see the young men more motivated to stand up
to the MPs; because they have no education and no jobs and
say, 'we need you to help us in the appropriate way; to set
things together for us so that we can pay our water or light
bills, because you created jobs'.
-
Michael McLennon
HELP
DECIDE THE COUNTRY'S DIRECTION
Young
people need to participate more in politics, we need to exercise
our right to vote and we need to know that not everyone in
this world has this right. We should hold our leaders more
accountable and we should try to be more involved in policy-making
and policy changes. We need to let the politicians know that
we are in the 21st Century, and things and times have changed.
Jamaica is no longer just a dot in the Caribbean Sea, it is
a country which has impacted everywhere. We need to build
on this and the leaders need to know that the politics of
the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s can no longer be practised. We
need to attack the problems, and not the various individuals
of each party.
-
Ogan-Nickhu Henry
EMBRACE
OUR FRANCHISE
We
need to embrace the franchise that we have, which has been
fought for through sweat and blood and struggles by our fore
parents; to be more proactive than reactive, because whatever
takes place now will affect us in the future.
-
Jalvin McCalla
BUILD
JAMAICA THROUGH INVOLVEMENT
What
I would like to see is young people giving back to the country
what our forefathers or ancestors have worked hard for, by
contributing positively to nation building, either in politics
or wherever aspect of the country's development we see fit.
Also if we keep looking back in the past, we will never go
forward. We should use the past for guidelines or reminders
but we also need to move on and help the country.
-Jean Binns
CREATE
YOUR OWN NICHE
I
don't believe in Government giving us stuff. I am an opportunity
seeker; I think you can help yourself in just about any situation.
If each person were to try to make a little niche for him/herself
without killing someone or stealing from another person then
we will see improvements.
-
Taayoo Murray
PUSHING
FOR INCLUSION
What
I am looking for, especially from the MPs, is for them to
create an environment where young people can create jobs for
themselves, and a more thinking environment where basically
they have a say in what goes on and not be told that you are
young and inexperienced.
-
Clif Francis
