JAMAICA | The Government's Emancipated Thinking?

KINGSTON, Jamaica July 28, 2023 -

Dear Editor,

The government, buttressed by its abnormal extensive legal phalanx, determined that it was immensely important and urgent for there to be swift amendment of the Jamaica Constitution, after unprecedented Nicodemus fashion and on an  unfortunate partisan platform, to allow for the extension of a public officer's tenure of service.

 And yet, for years, that same government in its wisdom has long considered it to be of no moment that there has existed a compelling need for the Constitution to be amended to allow for the Jamaican people of every class to enjoy the benefit of access to their highest court, a privilege that has been denied to generations of the less privileged since Emancipation. 

Moreover, far from moving to support an amendment to achieve  that historic purpose, their leadership have corruptly conspired to commit the most outlandish breach of the Constitution since Independence in order to defeat the initiative.

There is, too, the crass indifference of the government in remaining shamelessly unfazed by the consistent declaration by the Privy Council judges of their strong preference and warning that we are not welcome to continue making use of their court.

The government has maintained cryptic silence on the decades-long indepth discussion and logical conclusions concerning transition to the globally acclaimed Caribbean Court of Justice, but was not prepared to allow to the Jamaican public even a single day for contemplation of the Bill which enabled the pursuit of that clearly awkward proposed amendment of the nation's foundation legal document.

The curious bystander in this 'practising democracy' would surely be moved to enquire: What is the difference between the posture that is now being adopted by the present day government leadership and that of the British overlords in settling the policy direction for the general populace at Emancipation in 1833?

The clear evidence is that the government would also ignore such a question, disdainfully brushing it aside. Emancipated thinking?

AJ NICHOLSON.