Once, when I was interviewed about why I chose to become a politician, I said, “Remember that politics is not made for the weak or the faint of heart; It’s not perfect either, but it works, and it’s much better than the outrage over the resignation of doing nothing.”
I also said, “Like everything else, people need to plan their entry and exit into the political arena.”
Looking back on my political journey, I wonder if my “original sin” of suggesting that politics worked in Jamaica was true then or even now.
I entered politics to add value by improving the lives of all Jamaicans and shaping our trajectory towards becoming a First World country, where the per capita income and passports of our people would be weighed against international benchmarking statistics .
Next year I will serve as a parliamentarian in the House of Representatives for 18 years. That’s a whole generation of people born and raised now who will be of age to vote in the 2025 general election.
Suppose I were to run again next year as an MP in St. Ann South Eastern, or wherever. What would I say to that 18 year old who has seen nothing different all their life, whether it be the road infrastructure or the quality of their life or that of their family?
Why should I expect them to vote for me or the political party I represent?
Why couldn’t I get their road repaired and repaired for 18 years?
Why is there still no running water in some of the same areas?
Since becoming an elected representative, I feel like I’m fixing the same roads over and over again, fighting for the same water problems that never get solved, and having only menial resources to implement small welfare and infrastructure projects.
Why? The system is slow and in some cases broken.
In the major development program, $20 million for annual constituency development is inadequate. Yet every Member of Parliament is allocated this amount under the heading ‘development’. Failing that, we are at the mercy of a minister who decides what their priorities are and whether, as an opposition MP, they should be friendly to you.
These are the issues that matter to people – not the fact that I have brought special economic zones to the area with businesses that create jobs, and implemented other long-term policies to help with value-added agriculture and water.
People want change, and they want it now. This is perhaps why we haven’t tried to change the way we campaign as political parties, because the proverbial ‘vote for change’ or ‘we’ll make it great again’ will always resonate.
Having served in opposition for three of the four terms in which I was elected, I have built good relationships with many of my colleagues who sit on the government benches. However, the system for people receiving assistance or improvements to their community roads, schools and general way of life should never depend on whether our colleagues value or respect our personalities, but instead on policies aimed at measurable objectives.
During my political life, I appreciate Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Minister of Finance Dr. Peter Phillips, between 2011 and 2016, for taking the courageous step to restore our economy and our first budget surplus. Dr. Nigel Clarke continued the lead and he has my thanks.
But what new industries have we created to make us globally competitive?
What is our big picture to catapult our economic growth and give more to our people?
What is our long-term plan to solve our crime and violence?
I want my country to not only survive with bloodless economic growth, but also to prevail as a global titan competing with the best economies on the world stage, despite our small size and population.
I believe this can happen if we all work together and work together across the aisle. Our responsibility as policy makers is to create the economic environment and mindset that will grow the Jamaican economy in a way that increases per capita income for all our citizens. In the nearly eighteen years I have been here, we have not significantly moved the prosperity needle for our people, and my impatience with inertia is frustrating.
Our goal should be to move our base to the middle class, and to make the middle class internationally wealthy in this term. This won’t happen with speeches. And what’s more, pure talent alone is simply not enough to capitalize on the available opportunities. We need a structured plan that is specific, measurable, actionable, relevant and time-bound to get us there.
The way we promote, practice and implement our politics is painfully divisive. Within an increasingly bureaucratic system of governance, we create dysfunctional policies that simply don’t work and perpetuate ongoing inequality.
These are the issues I hope the next generation of representatives will address.
They should make their first priority a firm bipartisan consensus on the minimum percentage of budgets allocated to health, education and national security, regardless of who wins the next election.
My domestic staff is representative of both political sides; one is a strong Labourite, and the other is a strong comrade. When I asked them if they were going to vote in the next election, they said no, that they were tired of voting because they had not seen the benefits of it. They said they only see their MP or councilor when elections are coming up. And when promises are made to them, after the elections they see neither the representatives nor the promises.
It’s time for politicians to realize that people are tired of the broken system. They view Jamaican politics today as merely bait and switch practices to gain their votes. It is time for some MPs to leave and make way for others with more energy and fresh ideas. It is also time to stop using campaign slogans and populist narratives. People are tired of them.
We need a paradigm shift in our politics that communicates to our people at the national level about our vision for improving their lives, the systematic plan in place, our timelines for implementation, and how they will participate.
For this to happen, it will take bold and disciplined leadership that is open to bipartisan collaboration. If this doesn’t work, we are doomed to a broken system.
Lisa Hanna is the Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern, the People’s National Party Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and a former Cabinet Member.