Autocracy in practice, Jamaica beware

Autocracy in practice, Jamaica beware

Ambassador Curtis A. Ward

(01 September 2024) — It is creeping autocracy which often goes unnoticed. This writer has been raising awareness of the inherent dangers of creeping autocracy in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean. The warning is repeated here.

Young Floyd Green is likable and considered to be among an emerging new generation of leadership in Jamaican politics. But he keeps making mistakes which raise questions about the maturity of his judgment. His violation of the COVID-19 regulations which were set by the government of which he was then a cabinet member was overlooked by many who ascribed youthful exuberance to him, thus excusing his aberrant and possibly illegal behavior. He paid a price temporarily losing his job because of his intemperance.

The prime minister did not give up on him. Neither did Jamaica. His quick return to the cabinet by way of Jamaica House and then reinstated to the important agriculture ministry did not trigger much angst in civil society. This observer saw little problem with it. Green was being rehabilitated. He would learn a valuable lesson and deserved a second chance. It was expected young Green would have learnt a lifelong lesson from this humbling experience. However, his reorientation to the importance of adhering to societal rules seemed not to have lasted long enough for important lessons to be learned. This brief hiatus in his political journey seemed to have been to no avail. Perhaps, even as he was being relieved of his portfolio, he may have been assured by his party leader, the prime minister, that his removal from the cabinet was temporary, it was politically expedient. It was a mere hiccup, and he would soon be restored. He just had to show penitence and be patient.

But he didn’t seem to have learnt much. He has done it again!  This time his action is more serious, characteristic of recidivists. He has deliberately defied a court order. Worse, he ignored a written reminder from opposing counsel of his obligation to comply with the order of the court. He allegedly did the direct opposite. He is now accused of facilitating, or more aptly, alleged to have instructed staff of the Jamaica Agriculture Society (JAS) “to disregard the court’s injunction.” His influence over the JAS staff was not in doubt and he knew what to expect of them. Obey, they did.

The court is the arbiter of disputes, and good governance means, inter alia, that decisions of the courts are respected by government and the constituent elements of the executive. There should be no impunity or deference accorded ministers of government or political leaders. When someone in authority is contemptuous of a court order, it is not to be dismissed as mere stupidity. It rises to a higher level of accountability. In some legal systems, conspiracy or incitement to disobey a court order has legal consequences. Even a stern warning by the judge may suffice if the act is not egregious enough to attract stiffer sanctions. All the facts may not yet be publicly available, and it is left to the judge to determine the outcome. But it is concerning.

Jamaica’s constitution provides for separation of powers between the executive branch of government and the judiciary. As a country Jamaica has traditionally espoused adherence to the tenets of the rule of law. This applies to all, including political leaders, and especially to members of the executive branch. There are no exceptions in a democracy. Quite the opposite in an autocracy. This is not the first-time warning of creeping autocracy in Jamaica. The root of the concerns is when it is ignored. To warn is not being alarmist. It must be repeated and exposed for what it is, without fear or favor. Preserving democracy and preventing the country’s slide into autocracy require vigilance, most especially by a free press. They must recognize signs of creeping autocracy before autocracy becomes a reality. There is a responsibility to expose it.

Several incidents of the government acting contrary to the rule of law and democratic principles can be cited. Autocratic tendencies that include failure to implement orders of the court. One such example is related to the ongoing dispute over payments due to the officers of the JCF. Another include the several court rebukes of the government overstepping its constitutional authority  Not enough space here to expand further or to cite others.

Each incident may not seem as ‘a big deal’ for most in society. That is the danger. But each incident signals another example of creeping autocratic behavior. Left unchallenged cumulative autocratic behavior becomes the norm. The effect could be irreversible. Perceived simple matters affecting a few among us soon become major issues impacting the entire society. Readers are familiar with the adage in Jamaican culture, “Give him an inch and he takes a mile!” It is wise to heed this warning.

The U.S. tolerance of Donald Trump’s utterances and actions during the four years of his presidency was partly based on the premise his administration was temporary, and he would soon exit the political scene, as many expected with the results of the 2020 presidential elections. The prognosticators were wrong. His narcissism triggered some doubt he would fade into the sunset. His anti-democracy words and actions, including incitement of the unprecedented insurrection on January 6, 2021, have continued unabated. His passion for embracing the world’s leading autocratic leaders, some of the worst in history, and his influence and encouragement of wannabe autocrats in Latin America and the Caribbean profoundly impact on the nascent democracies of the region.

The U.S. presidential elections in November 2024 will determine the future of democracy in America and around the world. The results will have serious implications for the future of Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean. The impact on immigrant communities, including members of Jamaican and Caribbean diaspora will be debilitating under a new Trump administration.

The choices are clear. On one side, there is a Republican candidate who has unabashedly espoused autocratic leadership over democracy, discounted the constitution, disregards the rule of law, lacks accountability, claims impunity for breaking the law, and has shown disdain for immigrants. Trump is xenophobic. The other choice, the Democratic Party candidate who will preserve democracy, adhere to and promote the rule of law, believes in accountability and good governance, abide by the constitution, and will promote equity and inclusion of immigrants and humane treatment of migrants.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court immunity ruling has set the stage for a future of an out-of-control next Trump presidency. The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 provides the blueprint. Future analyses on Project 2025 will be forthcoming. The message to Jamaican and Caribbean peoples in the diaspora and in the region, and to the governments in the region, ‘Beware of the future!’

© Curtis A. Ward

[An earlier edition of  this article was published in the In Focus section of Jamaica’s Sunday Gleaner on September 1, 2024.]