I recently contributed an article to Barbara Blake Hannah’s excellent online publication “Spotlight” on Jamaica’s political style – if you can call it that. You can find the link to it here: https://t.co/gLcDsSkAAo The publication also includes trenchant commentary on the parish of Portland’s tourism marketing approach, on the Independence Grand Gala, and much more.
My piece was sparked by the news that Hon. Audley Shaw, M.P., was interested in challenging the current JLP leader Andrew Holness for the party presidency. The 61-year-old Mr. Shaw has been Member of Parliament for North Manchester for the past ten years, and is a Deputy Leader of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). He served as Jamaica’s Minister of Finance and Planning from 2007-12 and is now Shadow Spokesman on Finance.
Yesterday, Mr. Shaw confirmed his intention to bid for the leadership, and made a speech. I am happy to say, however, that meanwhile the tone of the campaign has softened somewhat. I do hope it continues that way.
And may the best man win!
Rousing the Rabble
We recently witnessed a resurgence of what you might call the re-energizing of the rabble (I know, that is a lot of alliteration). A certain Opposition politician indicated that he was interested in applying for the party leadership; a matter that will be decided in two or three months’ time, at said party’s annual conference.
Once the politician hinted that he might offer himself for leadership, it was as if all the lights had been turned on at once in a darkened house where nothing of much consequence was going on. Suddenly, the occupants of the house sprang to life. Something’s happening!
What – or who – is the rabble? It’s a collective noun meaning a “disorderly mob” or crowd. By implication, also, it is a somewhat low-class mob or crowd. And these are not quiet people; they are very noisy and, perhaps occasionally, somewhat out of control.
Now, noise is a key factor here. (Isn’t it always?) Since when did anyone in Jamaica have a public political meeting where calm and considered discourse took place? Where the audience actually listened, and thought about the issues, and responded emphatically – supporting or not supporting, but at least having had the issues laid fair and square before them? But our rabble is too busy making noise itself, while waiting for its favorite dancehall song to come over the speakers at full distortion level. Blaring vuvuzelas and whistles may come into play.
Another important ingredient for the rabble is some kind of fuel to keep it going: a few Red Stripes, a box meal of bony chicken and stodgy rice; and for the young men, a spliff or two to help with the “vibes.”
An absolutely essential element of rabble-rousing is the insults. Two grown-up men who have been apparently getting on together quite well (up to the point when someone flicked the switch) stand on a small, over-crowded stage, sweating profusely in their party colors, and proceed to hurl innuendoes, insinuations and insults about each other. It’s like throwing fish to the sea lions at the zoo (which I used to do when I was a child). Feeding time. The happy supporters snatch up every morsel. Raucous laughter and cheers ring out, and the more outrageous the comment the more appreciative the crowd is.
And the media appreciates the insults too, because then the television stations can milk them to death on the next several newscasts. Last week, the television prime time news indulged in an orgy of reporting on two meetings held by the leadership rivals over the weekend. They dominated the news for fifteen minutes as the lead story for at least two consecutive evenings. Excerpts of the politicians’ stage performances; a few quick words from the political analysts; then, to wrap up, some words from the rabble itself, shouting hoarsely above the din. It was all most enlightening. In the end, I put the sound on mute. The newspapers joined the fray with their warlike headlines: “Battle lines drawn,” declares one newspaper. So-and-So “goes on the attack,” shouts another. As for the radio, those analysts fell over each other trying to find a new angle on this thrilling event.
Was there any other news? Well, there was the matter of yet another quarter of negative growth. But who cares about that?
I would like to ask: When there are so many issues of serious consequence weighing on our shoulders, how does any of this nonsense help the average Jamaican? How does it enhance his/her understanding of what is really going on in this country?
Oh, but silly me. It’s all about the party, isn’t it? Who supports whom, who is fighting whom, which one of the two is going to win the next elections? How many die-hard supporters can be mobilized to vote (since hardly anyone else votes these days)? All this silliness is part and parcel of the “party machinery,” which springs into action when the light goes on.
Party, party, party. Noise, fun. Does anything else matter?
An oft-repeated quote by Margaret Mead states: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I am not altogether sure this is true in today’s world, although it sounds very nice and in many ways comforting.
I believe that the people can (and do) change the world. They are doing so on a regular basis. In Brazil today, thousands were marching to protest corruption and wasteful spending by the government. Is this the only way in which Jamaica will change? The voice of the people, and all that? I sometimes feel that it is the people who have (and must seize) the vision – not their leaders and their relatively small crowd of sycophantic followers.
And I am sorry, Ms. Mead – I certainly don’t see many thoughtful citizens sitting at the political table. Oh, sorry. That’s what the Cabinet is supposed to be.
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