Now and then we see a development, even if it is imperfect, that gives us reason to hope that a better day is in store for Jamaican politics.
Yesterday, Mr Robert Montague, the chairman of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), announced that his party would be mobilising its islandwide resources to mount a national campaign to help minimise potential damage from the Zika Virus (ZIKV), ahead of what is seen as its inevitable arrival in Jamaica.
It is always gratifying to see something responsible coming from either of the two major political parties which suggests that the country’s best interest is being put above narrow partisan politics.
There are encouraging signs that we have learnt some valuable lessons from the outbreak of the Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV), to the extent that the Ministry of Health is far more proactive this time round. Last time, the ministry was quite smug as if it thought the virus couldn’t come to Jamaica, and when it did, the approach was that ‘it’s no big thing’. We are convinced that that episode started the downfall of then Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson.
In fact, so proactive is the ministry now that it has, way beyond urging Jamaicans to clean up areas that could breed the offensive Aedes Aegypti mosquito, advised women against getting pregnant for the next six to 12 months, because of fears that ZIKV could cause deformities in the unborn foetus of an affected mother.
Mr Montague’s JLP has also learnt some useful lessons. During the CHIKV onslaught, feeling certain that it had a good case on which it could score some decent political points, the party took the alarmist approach in calling attention to the CHIKV onslaught. Which, by the way, was its job as an oppositon to do, minus the alarmist element.
This time, however, the party has chosen not to wait on any outbreak, and is not trying to spread any alarm among the populace to gain political mileage. Mr Montague, in his statement said the JLP’s Standing Committee, it’s third highest decision-making body, decided Monday night “to use its political network to help fight ZIKV”.
Said the JLP chairman: “The party will now immediately, after prayers at all party meetings, do ZIKV education. We will inform our members about the virus, we will encourage them and educate others. We will urge them to reduce breeding sites, cover water containers and keep from being bitten. The JLP will leverage its network of community leaders and use its islandwide programme of training for elections, to also train its workers to help in this national effort to fight ZIKV and reduce its impact. We have indoor agents, outdoor agents, runners and supervisors in every community...We are aware of the disruption, pain, and cost of CHIKV.”
It might have been too much to expect Mr Montague to keep the politics entirely out of his announcement, at a time when elections are in the air. So he had to add: “We warned the Government then; we were ignored and ridiculed. This time we are not waiting on the Government; we are acting in the national interest by playing our part.”
Still, we wish to join the party in urging all Jamaicans “to do everything in their power to reduce mosquito breeding sites and keep their families and communities safe; everyone should heed the health advisories and join in their own way in this national effort.”
Yesterday, Mr Robert Montague, the chairman of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), announced that his party would be mobilising its islandwide resources to mount a national campaign to help minimise potential damage from the Zika Virus (ZIKV), ahead of what is seen as its inevitable arrival in Jamaica.
It is always gratifying to see something responsible coming from either of the two major political parties which suggests that the country’s best interest is being put above narrow partisan politics.
There are encouraging signs that we have learnt some valuable lessons from the outbreak of the Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV), to the extent that the Ministry of Health is far more proactive this time round. Last time, the ministry was quite smug as if it thought the virus couldn’t come to Jamaica, and when it did, the approach was that ‘it’s no big thing’. We are convinced that that episode started the downfall of then Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson.
In fact, so proactive is the ministry now that it has, way beyond urging Jamaicans to clean up areas that could breed the offensive Aedes Aegypti mosquito, advised women against getting pregnant for the next six to 12 months, because of fears that ZIKV could cause deformities in the unborn foetus of an affected mother.
Mr Montague’s JLP has also learnt some useful lessons. During the CHIKV onslaught, feeling certain that it had a good case on which it could score some decent political points, the party took the alarmist approach in calling attention to the CHIKV onslaught. Which, by the way, was its job as an oppositon to do, minus the alarmist element.
This time, however, the party has chosen not to wait on any outbreak, and is not trying to spread any alarm among the populace to gain political mileage. Mr Montague, in his statement said the JLP’s Standing Committee, it’s third highest decision-making body, decided Monday night “to use its political network to help fight ZIKV”.
Said the JLP chairman: “The party will now immediately, after prayers at all party meetings, do ZIKV education. We will inform our members about the virus, we will encourage them and educate others. We will urge them to reduce breeding sites, cover water containers and keep from being bitten. The JLP will leverage its network of community leaders and use its islandwide programme of training for elections, to also train its workers to help in this national effort to fight ZIKV and reduce its impact. We have indoor agents, outdoor agents, runners and supervisors in every community...We are aware of the disruption, pain, and cost of CHIKV.”
It might have been too much to expect Mr Montague to keep the politics entirely out of his announcement, at a time when elections are in the air. So he had to add: “We warned the Government then; we were ignored and ridiculed. This time we are not waiting on the Government; we are acting in the national interest by playing our part.”
Still, we wish to join the party in urging all Jamaicans “to do everything in their power to reduce mosquito breeding sites and keep their families and communities safe; everyone should heed the health advisories and join in their own way in this national effort.”