I Disagree With Lisa Hanna! – Don’t Blame Burke
Paul Burke has never been my favourite politician, but no one who knows PNP politics and progressive politics can ever blame him of being disingenuous.
The recent media reports regarding Opposition member Lisa Hanna’s call for Burke’s resignation is hypocritical on Hanna’s part. Burke’s resignation will not help the PNP party unless it goes back to its core values. This is where Lisa Hanna went wrong.
Hanna in my opinion is not coming to the party as a true comrade. I do not believe she has a history of activism or of socialist groundwork.
Hanna, I am quite sure has never experienced the trenches and the type of meetings which committed PNP and committed progressives attended.
Does she know of the numerous youth and community meetings where Audrey Budai, Comrade Rennie, Comrade Dalley, Comrade Lorenzo Ellis and many more toiled effortlessly to educate the Jamaican populace about service, unselfishness, class consciousness, internationalism?
All of a sudden the General Secretary is being blamed for the PNP’s failure at the national polls.
Miss Hanna has failed to carry out an in depth investigation into the representation of the people by elitists with personal and clandestine agendas over the last 15 years.
Whereas in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s the PNP was served by what many would describe a ‘Brown skin’ folks and lawyers under Norman and Michael Manley, one could argue that they cared about the less fortunate Jamaicans who were part of the nation because they had a heart.
Hanna must have seen that many of her comrades are not the un-selfish Comrades of yesteryear. She needs to open her eyes and realize that people who say they are representing the party are fake, including some from the legal fraternity.
I believe the PNP has infused itself with a hegemonic elite. The interest of the masses are not a concern for them. The average PNP support has seemingly realized the party’s interest has fallen off tangentially with the interest of the masses.
In the last general elections not a single person in my family and extended family voted PNP although we are strong comrades with a history of being one of the few families who are original PNP supporters in the labourite den of SW St. Ann (The Dry Harbour Mountain).
The people have seen that their interest is only as important as marking their X in ink, nothing more counts. Yes , we have seen some efforts by Julian Robinson, Omar Davies and Phillip Paulwell but that is a drop in the bucket.
Hanna, to my knowledge is yet to build roads, build schools or establish agricultural projects in SE St. Ann. Her track record is pathetic and her success in winning her seat is due to the loyalty of St. Anners to Foggy Mullings and Dr. Ivan Lloyd.
I believe the PNP has been an ideal platform for professionals seeking to benefit themselves materially as the number of post independence born opportunists mushroom.
Persons who know they would do not have the capacity and ability to successfully be an entrepreneur or to be a true professional seek politics as a milking cow.
The PNP and government has seemingly become a cash cow for some who would perform miserably in other areas. I am not saying the JLP does not face the same scenario, but I believe the PNP and its leadership has either been too gullible or has played into corruption for its choice and sustenance of certain political representatives for a very long time.
I think it is also fair to say that the PNP party has been inundated with those who would be rejected by the JLP and by right wing sympathizers ,”the hurry come up” who have thrown away the philosophies of Norman and Michael Manley.
There was a time that despite the PNP rhetoric, party members representing the PNP had an interest in their welfare. Now it appears the party is filled with opportunists jockying for spokesmen and cabinet positions.
We do hope that the PNP elites in representative politics will again focus on the people, communicate to the people, walk with the people rather than using the people for their personal wealth creation and welfare.
In this regard they need to listen the words of Paul Burke who I am sure has made great efforts to inform them of their roles and function to society and to the Jamaican people.
Although not one of my favourite persons, blaming him is ridiculous and hypocritical when there are so many skeletons in their closet and their agendas are full of dishonesty and lies.
Your truly,
Maurice Christie – Clarksonville ,St.Ann
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