Heavy manners for selfishness and cheating

Over the past two weeks our Acting Prime Minister, Montgomery Daniel, has had occasion to point to, and condemn the reckless actions of some drivers of heavy equipment for ignoring police notices about the danger of the bridge at Arnos Vale with access to the tarmac of the now decommissioned E.T Joshua Airport at Arnos Vale. In the first place even when access across the tarmac was first allowed there were warnings about heavy equipment crossing a bridge not designed to bear such heavy load. Now, crossing the bridge by such heavyweight road users is considered downright dangerous to the extent that the warning signs have been placed there as a preventative measure. But lo and behold, first the traffic police and then the Deputy PM himself complained to the public that the warning sign was not only ignored but removed on more than one occasion, and the forbidden road traversed. But on several occasions the Traffic Department have issued public warnings.

Now, a case of extreme selfishness and recklessness would not be hard to find. It is also a case of foolhardiness since the drivers of the offending vehicles would be the first to suffer if the worst took place. How could one place oneself, not even counting the public, in such unnecessary danger? Just to save the trouble of using the main highway?

Sadly, it is not an isolated display of selfishness. The same Traffic Department has for quite some time now been playing its part in safeguarding road users and the public in general with advice on road safety. Yet daily we come across examples of persons blatantly ignoring wise advice and contributing to accidents, many of which could be avoided. It is clear that too many road users couldn’t care less about the fate of others or even their own safety.

Sadly, this is not an attitude confined to traffic. Extreme selflessness has become endemic in our society and symptomatic of Vincentian attitudes today. Worse, we are further entrenching it in our society, including, most worrying of all, in our children by our example. Whether by our political leaders, choosing what is politically advantageous to what is right, in the price gouging of merchants taking advantage of circumstances beyond reasonable increases to gain more profits, or in our everyday attitudes, the whole society has become contaminated. Just think of the noise pollution in defiance to legislation introduced to combat this scourge.

It goes further, and the state- meaning national resources, often suffers. There are those, including those not hand-to- mouth by any stretch, who attempt to use government assistance programmes for personal benefit. And, historically, the biggest culprits have been among the biggest party stalwarts. There are people even today who cheat and exploit even relief assistance programmes,whether for Beryl, volcano, or whatever else.

It appears the only solution is what Jamaicans would call Heavy Manners. Whether it is recklessness on the roads, noise pollution or cheating government programmes, we have passed the stage of appeals, let the offenders feel the full weight of the law.