Jalil Dabdoub | Reimagining Jamaica: Leadership for a just and bold future

A newly elected administration assumes office with the solemn responsibility of delivering real change. Jamaica cannot afford politics as usual. The objectives are clear.

The incoming government must demonstrate bold, principled leadership – dismantling tribalism, uplifting the marginalised, modernising the Constitution, and restoring trust in public institutions through accountability.

Loyalty to country must outweigh loyalty to party creating national consensus across political lines, ensuring that transformation endures across administrations, enabling a unified vision for national progress.

The era of arrogance and entitlement in leadership must end. The people expect humility, service, and accountability. Trust must be earned through ethical, transparent governance.

Constitutional reform must be bold and decolonising. The government must remove the British monarch as head of state and adopt the Caribbean Court of Justice. Broader reforms must include term limits, more stringent campaign financing laws, and stronger human rights protections.

Education reform must entail a comprehensive national education plan, investing in early childhood to tertiary levels to ensure equal opportunity. The justice system needs to be strengthened with more judges, modern infrastructure, and technology. Extra-judicial killings must be urgently addressed as part of a broader commitment to justice and human rights.

Tax reform must be prioritised. A consolidated revenue collection system, to ensure compliance and efficiency, ought to be implemented. The Government must continue to manage the country’s debt. The Cabinet must be lean, efficient, results-driven, reflecting a commitment to growth and fiscal discipline.

Fighting corruption is non-negotiable. The government is obliged to strengthen the Integrity Commission, protect whistleblowers, and ensure merit-based public appointments.

Jamaica must reclaim its strong moral voice – supporting Haiti, condemning atrocities in Sudan, and standing with Palestine. Silence cannot be an option.

The expectations are clear: govern with integrity, build unity, and deliver for all Jamaicans.

Jalil S. Dabdoub is an attorney-at-law.