%202021_edited_edited.jpg)
Published: Sunday | January 19, 2025, | 12:09 AM
“Money talks,” they say, as though this mantra is chiseled into the very foundations of human wisdom. It resounds across societies, whispering promises of power, influence, and control. In Jamaica and far beyond, the belief that wealth dictates worth is entrenched, shaping decisions at all levels. But, has this unexamined allegiance to the creed of currency led us to wisdom, or merely to folly?
Let us examine the evidence. Across the globe and throughout history, the tyranny of “money talks” has often overshadowed competence, integrity, and foresight. It has enabled costly mistakes and left behind a trail of societal scars. And, as we dig deeper, we find that this mantra — left unchecked — has wreaked havoc in ways both profound and personal.
WHEN ‘MONEY TALKS’ DROWNS COMPETENCE
Take, for instance, the salty marshland north of the Mandela Highway in Jamaica. This ecologically freakish expanse (extending to where we army Cadets used to enjoy camping), once envisioned as a vast freshwater reservoir fed by the Ferry River, now stands as a testament to the folly of money overpowering competence. Funds were poured into the project, but sound advice and thoughtful planning were conspicuously absent. What could have been a source of potable water for the City of Kingston is now a cautionary tale of squandered resources and ecological mismanagement.
Consider, too, the story of the submersible that sank to the ocean floor in 2023, taking with it the lives of a billionaire, his son, and a Canadian crew. Designed with glaring flaws that experts had flagged, this vessel embarked on a doomed voyage to the Titanic wreck. Here, “money talks” silenced the warnings of competence, transforming an ambitious expedition into a tragedy.
Closer to home, ‘Folly’ Great House in Portland now stands as a picturesque ruin — an architectural corpse. Money whispered promises of grandeur, but the mortar that bound its stones was mixed with seawater, defying the urgent warnings of those who knew better. Among them was my own grandfather, Emanuel Minott, the maroon construction engineer of Haitian descent from West Portland hills who built 22 of the railway tunnels between Bog Walk and Port Antonio. Today, Folly serves as a haunting reminder of what happens when financial expediency overrides wisdom.
The examples don’t stop at Jamaica’s shores. The 2008 global financial crisis was, at its core, a failure of competence drowned by the roar of money. Greedy pursuit of short-term profits drove reckless lending and complex financial products that few understood. Competent voices of caution were ignored, leading to a collapse that devastated lives and economies worldwide.
Similarly, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 exemplifies how prioritising profit over safety can lead to catastrophic outcomes. BP cut corners to save costs, sidelining the expertise needed to prevent disaster. The result? Eleven humans plus countless other forms of life lost and an environmental catastrophe that scarred the Gulf of Mexico for years.
ILLUSION OF WEALTH’S OMNIPOTENCE AND OMNISCIENCE
While money undeniably holds sway, it is not omnipotent. It cannot purchase wisdom, integrity, or trust — qualities that form the bedrock of enduring success. Yet, societies enamoured by wealth often ignore these truths, chasing the mirage of quick financial gain at the expense of long-term stability and equity.
Jamaica’s experience with natural disasters illustrates this vividly. After hurricanes, financial aid often floods in, but the rebuilding process remains mired in poor planning, incompetence, and corruption. The mantra of “money will fix it” eclipses the need for skilled leadership and resilient systems, leaving communities vulnerable to the next inevitable disaster. (For now, I shall refrain from shouting ‘wildfire’ in Los Angeles).
CALL TO ELEVATE COMPETENCE
What if competence, not money, became our guiding principle? Competence embodies the ability to deliver sustainable, equitable, and meaningful results. It prioritises integrity over expediency, foresight over impulse, and the collective good over personal enrichment.
In Jamaica, a “competence talks” ethos could transform industries, from tourism to energy infrastructure. Instead of chasing quick profits, we could build systems and structures that endure. We could invest in education, fostering a culture where skills and innovation are valued over material wealth. By holding leaders accountable and celebrating ethical achievements, we would send a clear message: competence is the true currency of progress.
Globally, the same lesson applies. Scandinavian nations, consistently ranked among the happiest and most stable, are not the richest in raw GDP. Their success lies in prioritising competent governance, equitable policies, and social trust. In contrast, societies that allow wealth to dictate morality and decision-making often spiral into inequality, criminality, instability, and decline.
NEW MANTRA FOR BRIGHTER FUTURE
The time has come to challenge the tyranny of “money talks”. We must rewrite the narrative with a more discerning mantra: “Competence talks in this land and beyond.” By placing competence at the heart of our decisions, we affirm our commitment to sustainability, integrity, and shared progress. We reject the foolishness of equating wealth with worth and embrace the wisdom of valuing what truly matters.
Jamaica and the world deserve no less. The voices of competence, creativity, and ethical leadership must rise above the cacophony of financial ambition. Only then can we build societies that are just, equitable, and truly prosperous for all.
Dennis Minott, PhD, is the CEO of A-QuEST-FAIR. He is a multilingual green resources specialist, a research physicist, and a modest mathematician who worked in the oil and energy sector. Send feedback to a_quest57@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.
by Dennis A. Minott, PhD.
January 2025
Comments