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The prime minister’s wife, Juliet Holness, who is also a member of parliament, should issue an immediate apology for her comment which in effect conveys that wherever there is destitution and dilapidation, members of the Opposition party – the People’s National Party (PNP) – live there and by inference cause dreadful living conditions.

Holness said: “Anywhere that is not safe to live, Comrades live there. Anywhere river going to wash you away, Comrade live there. Anywhere that is a garbage dump, Comrade live there and it is not the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) put them there.

“Look around and see who really care about you.”

In other words, only the JLP cares about Jamaicans.

Maybe Holness was overcome by political fervour, addressing her supporters while on the stump, but having had time to reflect and witness the firestorm she has ignited, she should do the right thing and humbly come before the country and show contrition.

Obstinacy will not do and may very well be detrimental to her future prospects.

It is gauche to poke one’s nose into the dynamics of a marriage, nevertheless the prime minister would do well to encourage his wife to address this unseemly situation.

If it was the other way around and a member of the PNP had uttered that unsavoury comment, it would rightfully be condemned by the JLP.

Politicians and governments are there to serve all the people, not just those who share their political party affiliation. This is the primary reason why Juliet Holness should put her foot forward and apologise.

The PNP issued a release taking issue with her declaration but Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding should be more vociferous here. This does not call for a meek and mild-mannered approach.

Jamaica has a history of political party violence, leading to death and destruction, particularly under the leadership of Edward Seaga. Juliet Holness may very well have lit the powder keg that starts that unfortunate period all over again.

The country’s murder rate is one of the highest in the world and crime now poses a significant danger to Jamaica’s ability to progress as a developing nation. The murder rate is set to be higher than last year, with a continuum of grizzly deaths that, if allowed to persist, will render Jamaica ungovernable.

The minister of tourism, Ed Bartlett, recently said in Montego Bay, St James, that it is difficult to market and encourage people to come to a country which is violent and crime ridden. The United States is now advising its people not to visit Jamaica because of the crime situation.

You add political violence to an already untenable situation, it will lead Jamaica inexorably into the realm of a failed state.

There can be no prosperity without morality.

Adam Smith has written exhaustively of the importance of morality at the centre of human governance. His book, Wealth of Nations (1776), is instructive.

Smith believes there should be a strong commitment to the soundness of the ordinary human being’s judgement and those judgements should not be replaced by political “systems” or dogma.

He stresses sympathy and how one would feel in the circumstances of others. Juliet Holness should take note here.

She and other Jamaican politicians should seek to answer two questions asked by Smith: Where does a nation’s wealth come from and what can governments do to increase it efficiently?

A partisan approach will not take Jamaica forward. This way only leads to a tale of two cities.

Smith saw humans as creatures driven by passions and, at the same time, self-regulated by their ability to reason and, no less important, their capacity for sympathy.

Juliet Holness has proven to be a capable politician and has done a good job with her constituency – East Rural St Andrew. There is no reason, based on her performance, why she should not hold a ministerial position other than she is the prime minister’s wife.

She cannot be making blunders like this which only serve to undo her good work.

Many politicians in Jamaica live very well off their connections and their wealth cannot be accounted for. Only last week, JC Hutchinson landed in hot water with the Integrity Commission.

If you are doing very well, you cannot blame the plight of the unfortunate and those living in a state of impoverishment and dire living conditions on others. That problem is caused by the failure of successive governments who are unable to take Jamaica forward in a meaningful way.

Juliet Holness was short-sighted here and sought to pass the blame onto her political opponent instead of proffering solutions.

The American scholar, Thomas Sowell, has remarked on this, saying of leaders: “You take charge and deal with it yourself. You never tell people their problems are all caused by somebody else.”

Juliet Holness must not play the blame game. It makes her look effete and insensitive to the conditions of her people.

In an interview, Thomas Sowell observed: “One of the things I discovered in the research for my book, is that leaders of groups that are lagging in countries around the world almost invariably have counterproductive policies for them.

“It benefits them but not the people they lead.”

This is what Juliet Holness must avoid. You are talking, making pronouncements while prospering, yet others are living in areas that are not safe with poor infrastructure in unsanitary communities – and you blame it on ‘Comrades’!”

Surely there is someone in the JLP who can point to the error here and beseech Juliet Holness to address it forthwith.