I have often said, and history confirms, that it is the spiritual and moral that determines the social and economic realities of a society. The spiritual and moral answers ‘who we are’; the social and economic reflects ‘what we do’. And what we do is governed by who we are.
The current crisis and problems the nation is experiencing: high crime rate, corruption, sexual abuse, scamming, low productivity and poverty are the result of what we are doing, which, in turn, is a direct outflow of who we are being. Change the ‘who we are’, and the ‘what we do’ will automatically be transformed.
Moral foundations
No society can long survive or be made strong without clearly defined and practised moral underpinnings; for it is those moral underpinnings that define and drive ‘who we are’. Moral here refers to new or revived belief codes and related behavioural practices held in common by all, and not something mystical or religious, which only few may feel inclined to embrace.
To build the new, preferred Jamaica we must revisit and determine the moral underpinnings on which we will build. We must rebuild where there has been breakdown and determine what is missing and known to be necessary for prosperous rebuilding.
Justice and truth
Over the past weeks we have been discussing the point that one of the most critical issues facing Jamaica today is that of injustice. This means, of course, that if we are to build a prosperous society, a primary pillar in that building must be justice for all.
The battle to overcome the crime monster must focus on the injustice experienced by the perpetrators, even as it focuses on the injustice the perpetrators have caused to others.
There are, in my view, a number of other fundamental pillars that are required for us to have the kind of strong, functional and prosperous society that we long to see. One pillar for consideration is truth: a need recognised by our founding fathers and echoed in our national anthem — “justice, truth be ours forever”.
Truth is a statement or idea which is a verifiable, undeniable and unchangeable fact or reality. A standard based on an absolute time-tested and proven foundation. As a nation we must commit ourselves to the principle of truth. This goes beyond a personal responsibility to be honest, although this is critical. At the national level, we must be willing to speak the truth about our situation and face the stark realities of who we are as a nation, and where we are as a people.
No truth…no trust
The principle of truth is essential to every facet of society; its absence is devastating. Truth in society is a standard to live by. Truth-telling is a way of relating to others for wholesome relationships. When practised in community, truth provides the base for honesty, informs justice, and engenders trust — all keys to a prosperous society.
No group of people can work together, or work for long, without trust. Research has shown that in societies where trust levels are high, productivity levels are also high and crime levels overall are lower. A recent survey conducted by USAID for Jamaica showed that Jamaica had one of the lowest trust levels in the region and correspondingly low productivity levels. USAID observed that: “A large plurality of [Jamaican] households…believe that statutory agencies are performing worse…or are less deserving of public trust and confidence…” USAID went on to say that, “When asked, interviewees and…participants frequently voiced distrust of the police, tax and licensing authorities…”
In Jamaica, a common anecdotal comment is that, “Nobody nuh trust nobody more dan so.” The Labour Market Reform Commission, through its Technology, Innovation and Productivity Committee, validated this. They commissioned a Human Factors Working Group to look at “human factors affecting productivity in Jamaica”. The findings of their technical report noted that “results showed a negative and statistically significant relationship between citizens’ level of trust in one another and perception of insecurity”.
These empirical and anecdotal observations must be reversed if we are to experience growth and prosperity. The answer is a recommitment to truth as a standard and to truth-telling as a norm.
The effects of the erosion of truth in our society are not only mistrust and feelings of insecurity. There are also economic effects. No one wants to do business with or relate to individuals who cannot be trusted.
No truth…greater fear
The absence of truth allows fear and deception to creep in and blind the eyes to reality. This causes us to ignore or hide from the truth, which in turn results in bondage and enslavement to, or tolerance of evil practices, such as the breakdown of family, corruption, garrisonisation, greed, and other vices.
When the bondage sets in, feelings of helplessness overtake us, and both leaders and the people start to compromise or become comfortable in the devastating condition. So, to survive, they bury their heads in the sand or look the other way; accept the status quo and work with it in the hope that it will one day go away.
The truth is that none of these negative issues are tied to the absence of truth. Truth says when you are in this kind of bondage, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” As a nation we must now take off the blinkers, face the truth, and deal with the issues. So let’s speak the truth!
Here are some of the hard truths we must face, and move to deal with by devising plans to transform them progressively:
1. Strengthen the family by tackling fatherlessness: Current international data shows that, “Children from fatherless homes are more likely to be poor, become involved in drug and alcohol abuse, drop out of school, and suffer from health and emotional problems. Boys are more likely to become involved in crime, and girls are more likely to become pregnant as teens.” Locally, over 70 per cent of our homes are fatherless, and over 85 per cent of children are born to single mothers.
2. Address crime and poverty: Statistically, this provides a breeding ground for crime and sustained poverty. The majority of our young males in poor and low-income urban and rural centres are uneducated, unemployable, ganja and alcohol users, with a deep sense of hopelessness. No wonder that they end up being the highest crime offenders and we continue to be poor as a nation; for they have the untapped potential to be valuable producers and contributors to our national economy.
Facing the truth
Are we courageous enough to face the truth about our devastating issues? Let us commit to fulfilling the words of our national anthem: “Justice, truth be ours forever, Jamaica, land we love.”
Copyright © 2017 by Rev Dr. Al Miller.
This article first appeared in the Jamaica Observer. Read it HERE.