CAYMAN ISLANDS – The ditty about three blind mice has much relevance for the state of the Caribbean with the widespread corruption, ignoring of civil society and a diaspora that is yet to realize that Rome is on fire.
Three Blind Mice was about three Anglican bishops who were burnt at stake by Queen Mary , known as Bloody Mary, for displaying dissension on religious matters. They are regarded as heroes today, known as the Oxford Martyrs. The Caribbean diaspora and most recently the Jamaican diaspora, including the hundreds recently in attendance of a government conference, were shown to be completely blind to corruption in the Jamaican cabinet.
No speeches, no demonstrations, no protests of any kind just blind acquiescence to the government narrative and the old chestnut, the murder rate. It is very likely that crime is stimulated by corruption upon high.
Civil Society
Some parts of civil society have protested against the corruption. They are shouting into a giant hole of silence like three blind mice. On the present trajectory to autocracy where protests are ignored, they should be careful. As Jamaica goes deeper into the abyss they will be the first ones taken in the night. Russia, China, Cuba and Nicaragua, all good friends of the present government, are also good examples of this likely pattern.
Ask Marco Rubio what happened to his family property in Cuba.
Even the Jamaican Teachers Association is being ignored about hurricane damage to schools. They might as well save their breath. They are low on the government agenda as more pressing matters like huge loans to a private utility and encasing the homeless in metal boxes take preference. Politicians should listen to Dr. Christopher Burgess: No More Rickety-Tickety Repairs. He is completely right.
Civil society would be better off publishing a petition for removal of any member of the Jamaican cabinet that are being investigated, charged or convicted for integrity offences especially for illicit enrichment. This is a common enough gesture in the outside world including the tiny Cayman Islands. Perhaps the Jamaican people other than the Private Sector Organization or churches of Jamaica are afraid of the political leadership of Jamaica.
They should all answer only to God. Bishop Dr Roy Notice and Bishop Alvin Bailey as well as their congregations have all made this very clear. JTA President Mark Malabver and his teachers can find the future of schools in this new insecurity zone of government rejection and neglect.
Suffer the little children.
The next step would be for the streets to continue speaking in a loud and clear voice.
The tail is wagging the dog.
Another reference to this situation would be the famous Japanese expression of hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil displayed by three monkeys at a shrine in Japan to reflect the Buddhist expression of avoiding negativity.
There are a great many members of civil society who have adopted deafness, blindness or muteness as their motto of life persuaded by potential damage to business, societal or political connections and simple personal weakness often called a lack of intestinal fortitude. Visas, foreign residency, even dual citizenship along with bank accounts near and far have many secured against a downward spiral engendered by political elites.
Paying Taxes
But what about the rest of us eking out a bare living on fixed incomes with taxes removed before you are paid. A damning indictment for unexplained wealth is the lack of payment of taxes on same as a historical fact that could make someone truthful. Not happening.
Not paying taxes on illicit enrichment is another crime.
The man in the street, the nurse, teacher or policeman could never be accused of illicit enrichment or having connections with offshore companies like the Cayman Islands. They are the backbone of society not hearing, seeing and speaking about overt evil.
Crime and Corruption
Corruption is not limited to integrity breaches but extends to other government officials such as a Bahamian immigration officer who rapes a Jamaican woman. Others may feel they can do the same.
So civil society governed by hearing no evil, seeing no evil or speaking no evil is no civil society, it is a dictatorship. Some in the cabinet could also be called the three blind mice because they do not hear, see or speak no evil. They are being painted by the same brush, a stigma that will follow them forever.
If you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas.
The wake up call is not coming as it is already here. When government refers to it’s people as ridiculous and ignores investigations, charges and convictions by state institutions of senior leadership then it is better to acknowledge the new dictatorship and hope Ambassador Kari Lake comes sooner rather than later.
The Americans are carrying a big stick in the Caribbean.
Jamaica is well known for having gangs such as the Shower Posse, many in the United States. Their time is coming.
If you could ask ex-President Maduro or Nino Guerrero, the recently deceased leader of the Tren de Aragua gang of Venezuela, they are likely to belatedly recommend another occupation beside crime and corruption.
Foreign governments must now take a hard look at their aid and relationship to avoid being pointed out as conspirators to malfeasance and the new autocracy of the Jamaican leadership. To do otherwise is to endorse integrity charges in the Jamaican cabinet and embolden wrongdoers.
Time will tell.
