We need politics to empower the people

Dayton Campbell (right) holds a baby in his hands during a tour of North West St Ann. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: Dr Dayton Campbell CONSTITUENCY: St Ann North West

MEMBER OF Parliament for St Ann North Western, Dr Dayton Campbell, used his Constituency Debate contribution to preach against “politics perception” which he said has birthed the enemies of poverty, income inequality, injustice, crime, poor housing and gender inequality.

“The politics of perception is the politics where our leaders tinker with our approach and policy direction and then magnify the minute changes with public relations in an attempt to convey a positive outlook,” he told the House of Representatives.

The two-time MP said such an approach has not been working and there is need for a ‘politics of change’, which he argued is about empowering people.

Campbell said for his rural

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constituency, consultations have identified priority areas, which he listed as infrastructure, employment, health care, education, youth, community development and poverty reduction, and economic enablement.

On economic justice, however, the MP, who has flirted with several controversies, called for attention to Jamaica’s poor and marginalised.

“We have to do away with the tendency to pay lip service to their needs, the politics of perception, and move to action so we’re better able to facilitate their full and meaningful development,” he argued.

He said a law is needed to outline the minimum working conditions for Jamaicans to match the minimum legislative requirements.

“Let us carry the argument to its logical conclusion, that if our children, years from now, are fighting the same struggles, then we would have practised the politics of tinkering, the politics of perception. I dare us all to move to an ardent practice of the politics of empowerment of people, the politics of change,” he said.