Name: Audia Thomas

Grade: 13 General Studies

Date: January 25, 2016
Subject: Caribbean Studies

Title: Caribbean governments are more concerned with maintaining political power
than creating the
conditions necessary to increase human development. Discuss
this statement

According to John Buchan, novelist, historian and politician The task of leadership
is not to put greatness in humanity, but to illicit it, for greatness is already there.
Caribbean governments are more concerned with maintaining political power than
creating the conditions necessary to increase human development. It is almost a
universal principle that humans in power discover they like power and begin to
initiate strategies to maintain that power.
In democratic countries of the Caribbean political parties are seen as been selfserving and only abuse the system of competition for their own ends which is to win
and keep power in order serve themselves. Political parties have exploited citizens
and turn them against each other in the form of political tribalism. They have used
the peoples poverty to make false promises of benefits, and turn them into violent
political gangs. Political parties govern mainly with the objective of winning the next
election and so resources and policies are devoted to short term electoral populism
rather than to long term development. Because so much rest on winning elections
they corrupt the electoral process to their advantage. Forms of corruption varies but
includes bribery, extortion, nepotism, patronage, graft and embezzlement and
telling blatant lies in parliament.

In Jamaica in September 2011 the Hon. Portia Simpson Miller who was opposition
leader at the time and current president of the Peoples National Party Portia
Simpson Miller used the provision of jobs as a way to return to power. She told
thousands of party supporters at the partys 73 rd annual conference that the PNP
will establish the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) to drive
economic development. She stated that 100,000 Jamaicans have lost their job in the
past four years and that JEEP will be able to drive the country to economic
development and prosperity. JEEP was developed to provide job opportunities and
wealth creation in the immediate term, the medium term and the long term. But
how true was this! Yes, jobs were created in six main areas; agro-processing,
cultural and creative industries, including sports, micro and small business
development, manufacturing, community transformation projects and information
and communication technology but how many people are employed, and many of
who are employed are under-employed. Can you imagine a citizen goes to Teachers
College for four years earning a bachelor and cannot get a worthwhile job and has
to settle for a job in the JEEP programme as an assistant teacher which pays less
than a quarter of what they should receive with their bachelor degree! Thus with
the implementation of the jeep programme many citizens with diploma bachelors
and masters are currently unemployed or are otherwise under-employed. Youth
unemployment is more than twice the national rate which is 38%. It seems fair to
state that such a programme is reflective of the governments inability to stimulate
economic growth and create an environment for job creation but just used this
manifesto as a way to gain political power rather than considering the development
of citizens

According to Hon. Andrew Holness, leader of opposition and leader of the Jamaica
labour party in an article entitled No user fee, no problem in the Sunday Gleaner
dated January 24, 2016 future Jamaica Labour Party Government would implement
creative measures to ensure that public health care remains free. Sounds great, but
is it actually worthwhile! First of all hospitals cannot facilitate the luxury of free
health care and the government will not be able to foot the bill alone. It will only
abuse the system and overwork healthcare workers. Hospitals in the country are not
well equipped. For example at the Kingston public hospital on a number of
occasions surgeries have to be cancelled or postponed because of a shortage of
equipment and malfunctioning of others. According to a surgeon at the hospital the
elevator is always a problem, as it hardly even works, the issue gets even worst
when you have to tell a patient Im sorry, I cant do your surgery again because the
elevator is not working if the government was really concerned about free
healthcare then they would also make an effort to improve the health care facilities
and equipment. But obviously this is not the main aim, the aim is to bribe citizens in
believing that they care by doing things that seems to be worthwhile and will result
in human development when they truly dont care. Yes, health care might be free,
but it becomes costly when a patient is waiting for several days for just a single
test. Patients have to be provided with clean linen, meals and medication which is
very expensive.
During election time in Jamaica both political parties tries to improve the lives of
farmers by providing them with fertilizers and black tanks. But why wait until
election is approaching to act so caring and thoughtful, this is because governments
want to maintain or to be given political power. Also as a way to maintain political
power the Peoples National Party decriminalized marijuana in Jamaica allowing up to

up to two ounces which amounts to 57 grams of marijuana for personal use to both
locals and tourists can possess marijuana for medical, scientific and religious use.
Offenders can now be fined and walk before the court once bill is paid and then walk
free without a criminal record. The decriminalization of marijuana in Jamaica has
brought smiles to many faces and brings joy especially to the Rastafarian
community who for years have been protesting its legalization by the Jamaican
government. Marijuana however has many harmful effects such as changing the
structure of sperm cells, causing temporary sterility in men, may upset a womans
menstrual cycle. The immediate effects of taking marijuana includes rapid
heartbeat, disorientation, and lack of physical coordination, often followed by
depression or sleepiness. Some users may even suffer panic attacks and anxiety.
The government decriminalized ganja to please citizens, and this will help them to
maintain their political power.
In Barbados in 2008, the Thompson led Democratic Labour Party (DLP) promised
transparency legislation in 100 days, it promised the Barbados Labour Party (BLP)
operatives suspected of corruption would be held to account, it promised jobs and
reduced cost of living but such promises were not fulfilled. In the last General
election held in Barbados the same promises were made again, the BLP promised
that they have the policies to kick start the economy. It is obvious that the BLP is
using political manifesto negatively as a way to maintain political power rather than
creating opportunities for human development.
In 2007 in The Bahamas the Free National Movement (FNM) committed to budget
deficit reduction, but was this promise fulfilled! Even though the economic climate
at that time would have impacted the achievement of the promise the government
made no effort to reduce the deficit. Conversely the government being strapped for

cash simultaneously increased taxes and engaged in enormous borrowing of money.

Also according to the FNM manifesto strong economic growth was expected to be
fostered through domestic and foreign direct investment. Unfortunately little or no
new investments were secured and thus there was an increase in the rate of
unemployed citizens. This was just a way to maintain political power as human
development is not uplifted.
In conclusion, Caribbean governments main objective is to win elections and so
resources and policies are devoted to short-term electoral populism rather than to
long term development. They make many unfulfilled promises, bribe citizens and
create opportunities that may be of little or no benefit to citizens. Caribbean
governments make it seems as if they are overly concerned with the development
of humans when they are not as they only want to maintain or gain political power.
In order to attain human development good governance is needed. Governments
should work together instead of fighting against each other for political power and
make the development of citizens top priority.