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An 'F' for performance - Opposition says JLP has failed at effective governance
published: Wednesday | October 22, 2008
When the Bruce Golding-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration reads its first-year report card from the People's National Party (PNP), it will see in bold: 'Thirteen months of disappointments'.
Speaking at a press conference to assess the Government's performance yesterday, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller blasted the administration for "taking the country to a precipice".
"Back up! Reverse!" Simpson Miller said as she jabbed at Prime Minister Golding who had declared himself 'the Driver'.
"The Government is a disappointment that we cannot afford any longer," she said. "The people are crying that they can't take Bruce's bruises any longer."
The JLP won state power last September in the closest election in the country's history when it won 32 of the 60 parliamentary seats.
The PNP won the remaining 28 seats and slipped into Opposition for the first time since February 1989.
Simpson Miller criticised the Government for failing to deliver on its promise of "jobs, jobs and more jobs". She claimed the Government has demonstrated poor leadership which has been borne out in the increase in unemployment, crime, interest rates and inflation and a decrease in consumer confidence.
Interest rates up
Official figures indicate that interest rates have increased from 12 per cent last year to 16.5 per cent. Unemployment at April stood at 12 per cent, up from 9.4 per cent in October; and the PNP claims that 75,000 persons have lost jobs since the start of the year.
Yesterday, Simpson Miller chipped away and exposed what she said were some major failures of the Government. But it was Dr Omar Davies, the opposition spokesman on finance, who would deliver some of the hardest punches. Davies said that the $489.5-billion Budget
presented by Finance Minister Audley Shaw had "patently unrealistic" assumptions that have contributed to the lack of busniess and consumer confidence. "There is a need to bring a real budget to the country, as well as to the external creditors
," Davies said. Shaw's budget was predicated on an inflation rate of eight to nine per cent. However, after six months in the fiscal year, official figures indicate that inflation had reached 11 per cent.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ead/lead7.html
published: Wednesday | October 22, 2008
When the Bruce Golding-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration reads its first-year report card from the People's National Party (PNP), it will see in bold: 'Thirteen months of disappointments'.
Speaking at a press conference to assess the Government's performance yesterday, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller blasted the administration for "taking the country to a precipice".
"Back up! Reverse!" Simpson Miller said as she jabbed at Prime Minister Golding who had declared himself 'the Driver'.
"The Government is a disappointment that we cannot afford any longer," she said. "The people are crying that they can't take Bruce's bruises any longer."
The JLP won state power last September in the closest election in the country's history when it won 32 of the 60 parliamentary seats.
The PNP won the remaining 28 seats and slipped into Opposition for the first time since February 1989.
Simpson Miller criticised the Government for failing to deliver on its promise of "jobs, jobs and more jobs". She claimed the Government has demonstrated poor leadership which has been borne out in the increase in unemployment, crime, interest rates and inflation and a decrease in consumer confidence.
Interest rates up
Official figures indicate that interest rates have increased from 12 per cent last year to 16.5 per cent. Unemployment at April stood at 12 per cent, up from 9.4 per cent in October; and the PNP claims that 75,000 persons have lost jobs since the start of the year.
Yesterday, Simpson Miller chipped away and exposed what she said were some major failures of the Government. But it was Dr Omar Davies, the opposition spokesman on finance, who would deliver some of the hardest punches. Davies said that the $489.5-billion Budget
presented by Finance Minister Audley Shaw had "patently unrealistic" assumptions that have contributed to the lack of busniess and consumer confidence. "There is a need to bring a real budget to the country, as well as to the external creditors
," Davies said. Shaw's budget was predicated on an inflation rate of eight to nine per cent. However, after six months in the fiscal year, official figures indicate that inflation had reached 11 per cent.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ead/lead7.html
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