Suh wait ... almost 24 hours and all now

[Lazie]

there is no comment on the announcements by the PM yesterday? Are the detractor waiting for Portia and di other jokers to say something?

[Gamma]

remind mi whey him did seh again?

[Lazie]

National ID coming - Golding wants Jamaicans registered, moves to make country more manageable


A national registration system first proposed by the then Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) in 1994, is one of several initiatives announced by Prime Minister Bruce Golding to cramp the worrying crime rate in Jamaica.

Last year 1,574 Jamaicans were murdered.

Mr. Golding's announcement has received support from Director of Elections Danville Walker who said that the country should have established such a system years ago.

Various perils

Public Defender Earl Witter said the proposal was well intentioned. However, he said "there are various perils that may result".

"The proposal, therefore, requires very weighty considerations," he said.

Mr. Witter said he would examine the proposal in detail and consider the implications before responding further.

Speaking yesterday at a post-Cabinet retreat press conference at Jamaica House, Mr. Golding said the national identification system would be introduced in the 2008/2009 fiscal year.

He said this would require every Jamaican who is resident in the country to be registered and be assigned a unique number from the date of birth.

Mr. Golding told journalists that this would be done to "ensure that this country becomes more manageable, more governable and to ensure that the security of the country can be better ensured".

Commenting on the plan, the director of elections said that the idea of a national registration system would have positive benefits for the country.

He argued that such a system would enhance the security forces' crime-fighting capabilities.

Mr. Walker argued that countries like South Africa first established a national registration system, and uses data from this system for its electoral list.

The Prime Minister also said that motorists would soon be required to have their driver's licences in their possession at all times.

He said the law would be amended to change the provision which allows a motorist to produce his driver's licence within five days.

More power for Commissioner

On another matter, Mr. Golding said that the Commissioner of Police would be granted greater authority, but at the same time, be held more accountable for the exercise of his power.

One critical component of the new crime-fighting effort, said Golding, was the containment of the inflow of illegal weapons into the country.

Depressed communities will also be targeted for increased social intervention.

"It is not enough for the police to go in and search for criminals, the Solid Waste Management must go in there in search of garbage, the Water Commission must go in there in search of broken mains and broken sewer pipes," Golding said.

He added: "The Heart/NTA must go in there in search of young people who have no skill, who can be provided with a skill."

[Lazie]

Gov't wants quick start to new fiscal year

Budget to be tabled March 27

Thursday, January 24, 2008



THE Government is aiming at tabling the Estimates of Expenditure for 2008/2009 on March 27, to ensure that the budget is passed as quickly as possible after the April 1 start of the financial year, Prime Minister Bruce Golding said yesterday.

"The tentative date for the Throne Speech and the laying of the estimates for 2008/2009 is the twenty-seventh of March, which would then facilitate examination by the Standing Finance Committee the following week, with the budget debate commencing the week after that," the prime minister said.

Golding, speaking at the post-Cabinet retreat press briefing at Jamaica House, said ministers looked at 58 policy submissions, as well as review the current fiscal year and examine the experiences of the new administration since September.

He said that a major area of focus was the issue of crime, and the Cabinet looked at both the measures which were being taken as well as those which will have to be taken during 2008/2009.

They also took a considerable amount of time looking at six medium and long term strategic objectives that the government has set itself, he said.

"While this current fiscal year and the new fiscal year will involve significant fiscal challenges, within the fiscal containment that we are committed to maintain, it is absolutely necessary that we shape our priorities in such a way that we can still provide the stimulus for economic growth," Golding said.

He added that of absolute importance to the Cabinet was maintaining macro-economic stability, setting realistic macro-economic targets and doing everything possible to achieve them, he said.

Principal among those targets will be the fiscal deficit, the level of public debt and the rate of economic growth.

[Lazie]

From what I can remember from the playback ... they had indicated in their manifesto they were aiming to reducing the Debt/GDP from 130+% to about 95% .. he made it clear that they won't be meting the target of 95% but they will be very close to it.

Regarding the Constituency Development Fund, people gonna shout "AH!!! Broken Promise!!" He said they won't be able to allocate the 2% of the budget and he cannot say how much it will be until the budget is finalized. Personally, I see no big deal as I'm not too convinced that all the constituencies will use up that 150 million. Mek dem creep fuss.

They have decided to go the route of LNG and he was talking extensively about reducing our use of energy .. and he intends to start with the gov't.

[Mosiah]

I remember that MPs won't be getting the 2.5% as promised. Did you hear that story?

[Jawge]

No, he did not. hee hee LOL

[Lazie]

I remember that MPs won't be getting the 2.5% as promised. Did you hear that story?

Its in my third post. I see nothing wrong with that. Unuh gonna start bout broken promises now?

"Regarding the Constituency Development Fund, people gonna shout "AH!!! Broken Promise!!" He said they won't be able to allocate the 2% of the budget and he cannot say how much it will be until the budget is finalized. Personally, I see no big deal as I'm not too convinced that all the constituencies will use up that 150 million. Mek dem creep fuss."

[Mosiah]

Its in my third post. I see nothing wrong with that. Unuh gonna start bout broken promises now?

Start?!?! I lost count!

[Lazie]

Start?!?! I lost count!

Suh what? There isn't going to be any discussion about the direction of the new gov't? Or unuh gonna wait to hear from Portia and her merrymen?

[Gamma]

maybe he's ONLY going to count broken promises....there is that possobility.

[Assasin]

them have 4 more years fi get it.
Did he say he would do it in this fiscal year?

[Lazie]

maybe he's ONLY going to count broken promises....there is that possobility.

You may very well have a point!

[Mosiah]

Course nuh change, so no need for any discussion.

[Lazie]

Course nuh change, so no need for any discussion.

Battered Wife Syndrome!