Letter of the Day | Need for continuity without complacency

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Jamaica’s general election delivered a close result – 34 seats for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and 29 for the People’s National Party (PNP) at the end of counting. The verdict was not a landslide endorsement but a calculated choice by the electorate. Voters signalled that while they value continuity, they also demand accountability.

Continuity matters. Regime changes often bring costly disruptions – policies reversed, projects abandoned, resources wasted. Stability allows for long-term plans in infrastructure, education, and economic growth to mature. For a country that cannot afford to squander scarce resources, this outcome protects progress already under way.

But Jamaicans did not vote for continuity at any cost. The narrow margin of victory tells a different story: the people want governance to improve. They want crime, education, health care, and economic equity addressed with urgency and vision.

On crime, the government deserves commendation. The reduction in major crimes is a welcome relief for communities that have long lived in fear. Yet, progress in this area must go hand in hand with police accountability. Jamaicans cannot afford a trade-off between safety and justice. Abuses of power, corruption, and extrajudicial actions erode public trust and can undo the very gains being celebrated. A modern democracy demands not just fewer crimes but transparent fair and accountable policing.

This is where the Opposition’s role becomes vital. With 29 seats, the PNP has both the opportunity and responsibility to ensure robust parliamentary oversight. On the matter of constitutional reform, after 63 years we are yet to agree on a decisive pathway for what future governance should look like. Democracy thrives not only when governments deliver but also when oppositions scrutinise, propose alternatives, and amplify the voices of those left behind. A strong Opposition is not a nuisance – it is the safeguard against complacency.

The past five years have certainly not been Jamaica’s finest hour of governance. Questions around transparency, service delivery, and responsiveness persist. The electorate, by narrowing the government’s majority, has given the JLP another term but not a blank cheque. This is a chance for renewal – for the government to listen more closely, govern more inclusively, and lead with integrity.

Likewise, the Opposition must rise above partisanship. The people are weary of empty quarrels. What is needed are serious policy debates, creative solutions, and a commitment to nation-building over point-scoring.

The lesson of election is clear: Jamaicans want stability, but not stagnation. They want progress, but not at the cost of justice. And they want leaders – on both sides of the aisle – to serve with accountability, vision, and respect for the people’s will.

The next five years will show whether our political leaders understand this message. For the sake of the nation, one hopes they do.

REV PAUL MORRIS