‘GIVE ME A BLY’ SYNDROME
Think of the ‘give me a bly’ syndrome. On the face of it, this is a harmless, even charming request, especially when you’re stopped for speeding. ‘Haffisa, gi me a bly nuh?’
The problem arises when this turns into a gambit, as it often does, for the ‘Haffisa’ in question to turn around and playfully ask what you can do for him in return for the bly. If you’re a winsome browning, a little flirting will do, but more often than not, you might be expected to hand over a contribution for the local Police Youth Club Dance. That’s not bribery or corruption, you say? Ok then, you begin to see the problem.
Then there’s the tendency to see to it that every job is filled by someone in your personal network, whether it be via your church, high school, dojo, or lodge. The latter is particularly insidious because of its pervasiveness and secrecy. A lodge is an organisation expressly designed to promote the wellbeing and interests of its exclusive membership. Many important nationallevel decisions could be influenced by such under-the-table loyalties.
I’ve always been struck by the lifelong loyalty inculcated and nurtured towards the high school Jamaicans attend, particularly if the institution in question is a name-brand one. I’ve heard people affirm their loyalty to the school in question by saying they would give a candidate extra points for being from the same school they’re from. The same goes for churches, and no doubt for Karate dojos, cooking clubs and many other associations we belong to.