THE POPULATION of Jamaica is increasing across all 14 parishes, except one: Kingston. In Kingston proper, the population is declining, and it is not just because of housing development in the suburbs; you could have growth in urban St Andrew without a decline in the city itself.
Kingston could have its own development dynamic spurred by urban renewal and high-rise residential complexes. But no: Kingston is in rapid decay. It is the most 'garrisonised' of all Jamaica's parishes, and fewer and fewer people want to live there.
For 47 years of 'Independence' the lives of the residents of downtown Kingston have not really improved. Kingston is composed of a mosaic of 'mini-garrisons' whose voting behaviour is known in advance; therefore, politicians do not really have to campaign on the basis of past performance, or make promises for future development or local progress. Their votes are quite secure; the dons make sure of that! As a result, the members of parliament (MPs) can get away with doing very little in their constituencies.
Take a guess: Which parish in Jamaica has been represented the longest by MPs of no less rank than the prime minister? You guessed it! Kingston, parts of it since Independence being represented by prime ministers Michael Manley, Edward Seaga and Bruce Golding! You would have thought that Kingston would be well placed to benefit from infrastructure upgrades and urban planning and social programmes. Instead, Kingston is arguably the most backward of all Jamaica's parishes, with more zinc fences and squatter settlements than elsewhere.
Orange or green garrisons
Who cares, in this context, whether Kingston has three constituencies, or two, or even one? To whose benefit will it be if Central Kingston is divided between east and west? Certainly, it will make no real practical difference to the people who live there. True, much of Allman Town does not want to be in the same boat as Tivoli Gardens; and Southside may feel better represented by Ronnie Thwaites than by Phillip Paulwell (if that is how the split is made). But conditions are not likely to improve in the orange or green garrisons no matter who is the MP, or how many constituencies there are.
Of course, reducing Kingston from three constituencies (two People's National Party (PNP) to one Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)) to two (one PNP to one JLP) will benefit the party in power, and we might find that constituency carving elsewhere results in more seats for the party in power.
Over the next week we will celebrate both Emancipation from slavery and political independence. One could argue that the 'garrisonisation' of Jamaican politics since Independence has brought elements of slavery back into the picture. The lash of the don falls hard upon the backs of those who do not conform, and well, the don is able to have his way with the girls in the garrison in like manner as the former slave masters with the girls on the plantation.
I am not sure where we are going with this 'Independence' thing. The fact is that our system of political representation has demeaned the local authorities. The Executive - Cabinet - has usurped the legislative role of Parliament, and so (with very little to do) MPs usurp the role of the parish councils. As a result, local government has little power to govern or to shape communities, except to tear down billboards or to occasionally close a market or to tow away some cars. It is no wonder that we barely yawn when local government elections are postponed year after year.
National legislature
And so, MPs are, effectively, the local government, dealing with naming persons to school boards, and fixing roads and water supplies, and such the like. MPs have become chiefs of little fiefdoms, rather than the people's representatives in the national legislature. As the sorry course of our history - the downgrading of our people and their development - continues, I ask you: who is going to emancipate us from garrison slavery?
Peter Espeut is a sociologist and a Roman Catholic deacon.