The Commentator www

MOSES AND PJ

Michael A. Dingwall (michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com)

Now that Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Mr. P. J. Patterson is going, it is worthwhile to look back at his leadership. While analyzing his time a Prime Minister, one cannot help but notice striking similarities with certain historical events – certain alleged biblical events. I must say that I am amazed at the similarities between what is happening in Jamaica today and what is alleged to have happened in Egypt, many centuries ago. If you take the bible as truth, and many Jamaicans do, then many of us will agree that Prime Minister PJ and Moses do have a lot in common. How? Let us look at these men.

Firstly, it is clear that both of them destroyed the countries of their birth. Moses flattened Egypt and PJ wrecked Jamaica. Both claimed to be following devine inspiration – Moses, the god of his imagination and PJ his own imagination. Both were "highly educated". At one time, Moses was seen as a laughing stock, both by the Egyptians and the Hebrews. Today, PJ is seen as a joke; his speeches in particular were seen as good comic acts. But let us look at a few specifics.

The book of Exodus claimed that god, whose existence has always been in doubt, made Moses a god, who in turn made Aaron a prophet. Likewise, our former governor-general, whose non-senility has always been in doubt, made PJ a prophet. PJ in turn made Davies his most important and destructive minister. Such was their god-to-god relationship.

In Egypt, Moses repeatedly made this demand to the Egyptians and its leader - "Pharaoh: let my people go!" PJ came to us Jamaicans and said - "Hope: let my people go!" Both had their right hand man - Moses his brother Aaron and PJ his finance minister Davies. Both right hand men had their staffs, Aaron the rod of Moses, Davies his rod of high interest rates and both use it to cause great destruction.

P.J. Patterson

You see how history has a way of repeating itself? Moses left a trail of destruction and the Egyptians were glad to see the back of him. History judged Moses as Egypt's worst. When he leaves, PJ will leave a trail of destruction and we Jamaicans will be glad to see the back of him. History will judge PJ as our worst, the man who ravaged Jamaica, like the ten plagues of Egypt!

Both Moses and PJ brought great plagues to their countries of birth. Here, we find the most convincing of similarities. Remember the plague of hail? It rained fire on the land of the Egyptians, destroying everything. "Moses stretched forth his hands towards heaven and the lord sent forth thunder and hail". Well, PJ stretched forth his hands towards Jamaica, and in a sense, did sent forth "thunder and hail"; the type that destroyed our economy.

Remember the plague of darkness, the one that could be felt? The Egyptians could not see each other - so thick was the darkness. PJ has also brought darkness on the land, both literally and symbolically. Until recently, we were accustomed to frequent blackouts from the JPS. Today, most people, it seems, cannot see what is really happening in Jamaica. We have accepted this sub-human form of existence now, with no resistance, for so long that we simply cannot see that it is not normal. Ignorance is rampant. Indeed, we are being kept in the dark.

Remember the plague of the killing of the Egyptians' cattle and the plague of locusts? Moses and his brother Aaron killed their cattle and sent the locusts to devour "all things green" - destroying their agriculture. Here in Jamaica, PJ has destroyed our agriculture, by flooding the country with cheap food imports and caring naught about our farmers, letting in the foreign "locusts".

Remember the plague of flies and boils? The Egyptians were punished with flies in every quarter, even Pharaoh did not escape. Here in Jamaica, due to a halt in the mosquito eradication programmes and other reasons, were have been tormented with these blood-sucking vampire mosquitoes. The boils resulting from these pests are the size of tennis balls. Day and night, we simply cannot get a break!

Now to the last and worst plague - the killing Egypt's first born. For Pharaoh's stubbornness, Moses caused the deaths of the entire first born of Egypt, from that of the Pharaoh to that of the slave. Here in Jamaica, admittedly, there is a slight difference. PJ not only caused the death of our firstborns, but also those of our second, third and other "borns". Out of frustration, many people have killed themselves; others are doing it more slowly, by taking ganja and cocaine. Many have gone stark mad and hard life and starvation is slowing killing the majority.

Look at what happened to the Hebrews when they finally left Egypt. They were forced by Moses to wander in the wilderness for forty years - not one of those who left Egypt made it to the Promised Land – only their children! Here in Jamaica, we have been wondering in the wilderness of stagnation now for over seventeen years, not one of us alive today will ever see the promised land of economic prosperity. The mess of the last seventeen years will take decades to undo. Even our children will be forced to pay.

Notice, while in the wilderness, Moses was frequently away from his people and for long periods of time, especially on Mount Sanai, supposedly to get the commandments? Also, notice that when there was unrest among the Hebrews, he was never there? Well, look at PJ; he is always out of the country, allegedly looking about the country's business. Notice too that whenever there are major unrests, he is never here? Indeed, he can be called "the absent leader", both in body and brains.

Remember when, according to the book of Exodus, Moses disturbed god's spirit? The lord had to inconvenience himself, by coming down and speak to Moses "face to face". Well, PJ has greatly disturbed Michael Manley's ghost. The events in his country and even in his party must have caused that poor man to be turning in his grave!

Also, notice when in Egypt, near the Red Sea and in the wilderness, the Hebrews began grumbling why didn't Moses leave them alone in Egypt. As far as they could see, they were better off being slaves - at least they were sure of a place to sleep and a little bread. Today, we Jamaicans are grumbling - wishing that PJ had leaved us alone. Life was not perfect, but at least we were sure of a piece of bread.

When Moses was leaving Egypt, he told his people to take the Egyptians' possessions. Expensive Jewels and other possessions were taken. According to Exodus, he did "spoil the Egyptians". Likewise, through his administration, corruption has robbed us of much of the scarce resources that we have. There is even a case of an appliance store being robbed by party members. Indeed, we Jamaicans have been very much spoiled.

Lastly, we should note this important similarity: When Moses was inflicting his punishment on the land of Egypt, not all the people who lived there felt it. Moses did make a distinction between the Egyptians and his people - the Hebrews. PJ did the same thing. Not all of us are feeling the curse of his rule. Those privileged few who are with him are fattening themselves, while the rest of us who are trying to get on with our lives are suffering - sucking salt!

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