Rating Mr Andrew Holness's inauguration speech

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Of all those arts in which the wise excel, nature's chief masterpiece is writing well — Andre Breton

Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so he is

— Publilius Syrus

JAMAICANS love a good speech and a great speaker. That is largely accepted as a big reason for their love of the late Prime Minister Michael Manley.

The Americans rate the late Rev Martin Luther King Jr's 'I have a dream' speech as the number one in their top 100 speeches of the 20th century, above President John F Kennedy's Inauguration speech (number two) in which he urged the oft-quoted patriotic anthem "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Most of the great speeches are written for the speakers by so-called speech writers. Mr Andrew Holness's inaugural speech at his swearing-in ceremony on October 23, 2011 might not be described as delivered "on the wings of oratory", as a newspaper editor titled Mr Manley's speech to the 1978 United Nations General Assembly. Perhaps the new prime minister did not resort to speech writers.

It is quite possible that Mr Holness was more mindful of Oliver Wendell Holmes' injunction: "Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall", which is to say that what is more important than oratory is the content of the speech.

His attempt to position himself in the post-Independence sub-stratum of Jamaican history was clever and critical. Mr Holness knows that a great many Jamaicans yearn for courageous political leadership that can finally throw off the yoke of tribalism and release the pent up entrepreneurial and cultural energy of the ordinary Jamaican. Dare we suggest that this might well be the elusive solution to our ever present economic and social problems?

Not that it is ever going to be easy. There are too many deeply entrenched interests who benefit from the status quo and who can't let go, no matter what. Mr Holness will find them even in his own party, the ones who will tell him squarely that he has just come and remind him that they have paid their dues. His biggest challenge might well be getting those interests to let him lead.

If there was a weakness in his speech, it is that the young prime minister did not spend enough time rallying the members of his generation, the children of the 1970s who have seen the pain of narrow partisan politics that has kept us in a dark corner for far too long.

We sense that many Jamaicans are wont to "give the young man a try", if only to see if there is another way, a fresher, newer, cleaner way that doesn't render even highly educated Jamaicans unable to dispense with the blind party loyalty that leads to nowhere.

Mr Holness touched on three very related issues in this respect: the need to degarrisonise the zones of exclusion; the commitment to education; and the call on fathers to support their children.

The new prime minister may well be onto something bigger than words.

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COMMENTS (17)

0o k
10/27/2011

I agree with @ Meat Head. Comrade Leader Saint Michael Manley was an unmitigated disaster. It would be better had Drew left out the 70s history, focused on the good JLP times and spend less time on Garrisons.
The fact that he wrote the thing himself however, is good for 99% pass mark.

John Smith
10/27/2011

@Verna Kitson. I call that quote a 'space filler'.

Verna Kitson
10/26/2011

I guess when I figure out where the "post-Independence sub-stratum of Jamaican history" is located, I will be able to understand what Mr. Holness's agenda and plan of action are.

St. Ann
10/26/2011

@Meat Head. You are so ignorant to the political events of 1970s, and even today your writings displayed mass ignorance in current political affairs. Focus closely on current political events and you will get a better understanding of what is happening in the world today, for example the Arab Spring!!

St. Ann
10/26/2011

@Tom Stroke. You are so partisan and such a hypocrite. Why you did not comment on Clovis cartoon yesterday? The answer is simple, for ones it accurately depict the party before country attitude that exist in the JLP at the highest level, and at same time the PM is talking about garrison politics with bells ringing in applause at national ceremony. How serious can he be?

David Armstrong
10/26/2011

I am not sure why the Editor sees it fit to give us this editorial on Mr. Holness inaugural speech. Let the historians worry about that. We should be focusing on the main problems (violent crime and corruption) that are holding the country back. Dwelling now on trivial matters and petty bickering is not going to help the country. We need solutions to fix these problems and we need them fast. And one more thing we need to transcend party politics and work together to solve these problems.

Meat Head
10/26/2011

Speech-making aside, Michael Manley should be the last person our new PM tries to emulate; an economic blow like the one inflicted during the 1970s would surely result in a KO today. Some level of partisanship, or disagreement is healthy in a democracy. The alternative, acquiescence, the hallmark of despotism, invariably leads to disaster. That is, debate must be encouraged, providing it is kept civil and is directed at the issues.

Tom Stroke
10/26/2011

Excellent editorial. As a matter of fact, this is the type of thinking I will appreciate from a newspaper that means Jamaica well. Kudus to you Mr Editor, we certainly need a new type of thinking to move our country forward. Mr Holness’s speech was excellent, and in my opinion it is the type of conversation that is need now at this time in this country. Clovis, you are “the big man”; today’s cartoon depicts part of our predicament very well. For that I say, nuff respect sir.

Yard Vibz
10/26/2011

Sounds as if this author has somehow spent days fabricating justification for an inaugural speech that mirrors the agony of a 1965 Bedford truck approaching the summit of Spur Tree hill... Holness will get better as time goes by, but he has to be man enough to identify & confront his obvious deficiencies... 'im shuda duh betta still, because unlike Sista P, whose intellectual threshold is set barely above ground level, he models superb IQ & constantly brags about his intolerance for mediocrity.

Mark Forbes
10/26/2011

Earle Scarlett you are an Uncle Tom. You fully well know that NATO would be involved in any uprising in Saudi Arabia firmly on the side of the dictatorship and against the 'terrorists' fightinf for democracy and human rights. How did Bahrain's version of the 'Arab Spring' go again. I know you know that it was suppressed because the West didn't need it as an excuse for a resource grab.

Chuck Emanuel
10/26/2011

Those who lead, or aspires to lead our people must be measured by the guiding principles of INTEGRITY, MORALITY ande the RULE of LAW.
The fact is, actions speaks louder than speeches. The no-confidence vote in Parliament and the subsequent "speech" that the former PM "did nothing wrong" in the Dudusgate saga signalled that is will be business per usual. There is no evidence to suggest the contrary.

Stephen Fox
10/26/2011

The new PM scored some points. Clovis illustrates one of them today. Can the JLPNP cross over by transforming our garrison communities from zones of exclusion? Mrs Simpson-Miller inspired me yesterday. The media can facilitate debates between the candidates of a consitituency. The debates should be held in the constituency perhaps in a school, auditorium, or community center. Residents in the community should be invited to submit their questions. Imagine the imagery. Portia raised the bar!

John Smith
10/26/2011

Following from my previous post, if published, I was most impressed by his stated intention to walk with PSM through one garrison community. Would be nice to expand that gesture. Open all communities to all political campaigns. Emphasise freedom of choice, democracy. That's a plan of action I can look forward to. I look forward to that initiative. Seems Clovis doesn't like the idea too much but is that so much of a surprise? No more material - i.e. not much of an imagination.

John Smith
10/26/2011

I've witnessed for decades now our politicians using speeches saying we 'must'', 'should'. Then nothing... I want to hear more of "we will," "I will." Then I have something to look forward to. Otherwise I might have well delivered that speech because I agree in principle with most things said. Except he's in a much better position to do something about it. What will he do? That's what I'm interested in. I am impressed by speeches which outline plans of action & give people a tangible hope.

wanda woeman
10/26/2011

Why am I not surprised that the column, "Should journalists be held to a higher standard during election campaigns," is not open to blogging?
It is not only journalists who should be held to this higher standard but the journals they represent -- even moreso.
Journalists will have their biases, but unless they have a byline we don't even know who they are. It is therefore up to the media house to see that their integrity is maintained by opting for truth.
How many have even seen the Handbook?

Paul Gentles
10/26/2011

The most burning and vexing issue as exposed by the dudus fiasco was not addressed - constitutional reform,holding politicians accountable to the people.
We have heard thousands of speeches more eloquent in words and more substantiative in content,alas, they have not borne fruition.
We need a media that will do proper research and to hold these guys accountable and not one which lauds every utterance like cheer leaders.

wanda woeman
10/26/2011

So because we no longer have B.G’s oratorical excellence then the content of the speech might be more important than its delivery? You need to be careful though Observer because melodramatic rhetoric is all that separates one leader from the next. I myself have never found a good speaker who is also gifted with doing; apparently you are coming to that conclusion quite late.
You are even suggesting that the P.M. might have written his own speech, a suggestion so preposterous that it defies logic. The P.M. (as you well know) gives his speech writers pointers, but for you to suggest that he writes his own speech is to suggest that he has too much time on his hand, which no P.M. should.
Who writes these editorials anyway?

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Rating Mr Andrew Holness's inauguration speech