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Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
I recently had the following dream:
Audley Shaw: There's a hole in the budget, dear Prime Minister, dear Prime Minister, there's a hole in the budget, a hole. (Sotto voce: As a matter of fact, plenty holes!)
Bruce Golding: With what shall I mend it, dear Audley, dear Audley, with what shall I mend it, with what? (Sotto voce: As if I don't have enough problems already!)
Audley Shaw: With taxes, dear Prime Minister, dear Prime Minister, with taxes. (Sotto voce: Mi no know what else to do!)
I woke up in a cold sweat.
And the beat goes on.
Lloyd B Smith
Welcome to Jamrock! The Bruce Golding administration is expected to unveil the national budget for the 2009-2010 financial year, starting with the governor general's Throne Speech today. And from all indications, it will be the "mother of all budgets" in terms of whether or not the good ship Jamaica remains afloat or continues to drift towards treacherous rocks.
In the recent weeks leading up to "crunch time", apart from the occasional warning or prediction, the government has failed to come to the Jamaican people in a direct and meaningful way in order to prepare them for the economic tsunami that is heading our way.
No town meetings, no major public relations thrust, no extensive consultations or worthwhile dialogue have taken place. It is almost as if it is business as usual. Well, Mr Golding and Mr Shaw, please be reminded of the Jamaican saying, "Fire deh a mus-mus tail, 'im tink a cool breeze!"
In his national broadcast, the prime minister sought to begin the process of applying some "sugar" before forcing us to take the bitter medicines he has in store for us. But isn't this a little bit too late in the day? Let's wait and see!
No doubt buoyed by the West Portland by-election results which would suggest that the Jamaican people fully understand the negative impacts of the worldwide recession and therefore against that background would be willing to "suck salt through a wooden spoon", Prime Minister Bruce Golding may be making too hasty a conclusion as to what is the real mood of the people out there in the wider society. The fact that the Portia factor and its attendant emphasis on doom and gloom did not work in the People's National Party's favour should not be interpreted to mean that the poor can indeed take more and more of the same. A grim scenario which means taxes and more taxes.
I am sure that Mr Golding and his team will agree with all well-thinking citizens of this country that we cannot simply tax our way out of our problems. The bottom line is that we must grow the economy. As the old saying goes, "Take care of the banana and the banana will take care of you."
Lest Jamaicans forget, we are not new to tightening our belts and making sacrifices. It is fair to say that for the most part since the attainment of political independence in 1962, Jamaicans have been caught in a vortex of socio-economic woes engendered primarily by the failed policies of successive administrations whose main option, instead of dangling the carrot first, has always been to use the big-stick approach. As a result, Jamaica is one of the most overtaxed countries in the world and one in which to do legitimate business is akin to walking a tightrope over a cauldron of boiling water.
If the government intends to use the West Portland experience as its only barometer, then it may well be looking down the barrel of a gun, figuratively or otherwise. As frightening and intimidating as this may sound, we need to call a spade a spade which means we must take our heads out of the sand, unlike the proverbial ostrich, and face the music. With this most troubling situation unfolding, I have a few suggestions for the government of the day.
First, swallow pride and arrogance and engage the Opposition PNP constructively as to the way forward.
The current crisis that besets us, and which is likely to get worse before it gets better, demands national consensus, not the present divisive, tribal politics which sees numerous "tracing matches" taking place in the House of Parliament. The PNP, too, must accept the fact that it lost the 2007 general election and stop playing "spoilsport". This type of behaviour is neither in theirs nor the country's best interest at this time.
Second, it is well known that the dual citizenship issue has put a wedge between the governing Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party in that Mr Golding is maintaining that the Opposition wants to overthrow the government by way of the courts. And even though PNP President Portia Simpson Miller has denied any such intention, common sense must tell her and Mr Golding that the country cannot afford to be in an election mode indefinitely while "Jah kingdom goes to waste."
If sufficient focus is to be placed on keeping Jamaica out of the jaws of a sustained depression, then the two major political parties must find a quick and pragmatic solution to this vexing matter. Otherwise, "dawg gwine nyam we suppa"!
Third, Mr Golding must display extraordinary leadership skills by bringing to the table at Jamaica House the best minds in this country to forge the best possible way forward. What a great and pivotal moment it would be in Jamaica's history if we could in one room see the likes of former prime ministers (and ministers of finance to boot) Edward Seaga and PJ Patterson, not to mention David Coore, Hugh Small, Dr Omar Davies, along with other key members of government, the Opposition, the private sector and civil society, to name a few, crunching the figures and giving their input as to the best way forward.
Yes, the cynics will be quick to throw out such an idea, bemoaning the fact (and perhaps rightly so) that these are some of the very same individuals that have been the architects of our economic stagnation, but what people, I ask you, are most suitable to take us out of the current quagmire? And isn't this the best way to redeem themselves?
It cannot all be about taxes and more taxes. Creative and innovative ways must be found to take us out of our misery, not further compound the problem. With increasing unemployment, an expected upsurge in crime, a horrendous high cost of living (and dying!), along with all the other attendant evils, a serious look must be taken at the high interest rate regime, tax reform, the elimination of corruption and too much red tape which inhibits production and, of course, security.
Right now tourism, which is the only sector in the economy showing some positive signs, could be completely railroaded if the crime problem is not tackled holistically. The current mealy-mouthed, piecemeal approaches to dealing with this monster is akin to us riding on the back of the tiger which means we will soon end up in its belly.
It remains to be seen, therefore, if the hole(s) in the budget will prevent the Golding administration from presenting a plan of action that is holistic and not just "holey". The former suggests thinking out of the box and pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps.
The latter means that we may well continue to be wholly taken up with frantically plugging holes even as more holes emerge.
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...LEY_BUDGET.asp
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
I recently had the following dream:
Audley Shaw: There's a hole in the budget, dear Prime Minister, dear Prime Minister, there's a hole in the budget, a hole. (Sotto voce: As a matter of fact, plenty holes!)
Bruce Golding: With what shall I mend it, dear Audley, dear Audley, with what shall I mend it, with what? (Sotto voce: As if I don't have enough problems already!)
Audley Shaw: With taxes, dear Prime Minister, dear Prime Minister, with taxes. (Sotto voce: Mi no know what else to do!)
I woke up in a cold sweat.
And the beat goes on.
Lloyd B Smith
Welcome to Jamrock! The Bruce Golding administration is expected to unveil the national budget for the 2009-2010 financial year, starting with the governor general's Throne Speech today. And from all indications, it will be the "mother of all budgets" in terms of whether or not the good ship Jamaica remains afloat or continues to drift towards treacherous rocks.
In the recent weeks leading up to "crunch time", apart from the occasional warning or prediction, the government has failed to come to the Jamaican people in a direct and meaningful way in order to prepare them for the economic tsunami that is heading our way.
No town meetings, no major public relations thrust, no extensive consultations or worthwhile dialogue have taken place. It is almost as if it is business as usual. Well, Mr Golding and Mr Shaw, please be reminded of the Jamaican saying, "Fire deh a mus-mus tail, 'im tink a cool breeze!"
In his national broadcast, the prime minister sought to begin the process of applying some "sugar" before forcing us to take the bitter medicines he has in store for us. But isn't this a little bit too late in the day? Let's wait and see!
No doubt buoyed by the West Portland by-election results which would suggest that the Jamaican people fully understand the negative impacts of the worldwide recession and therefore against that background would be willing to "suck salt through a wooden spoon", Prime Minister Bruce Golding may be making too hasty a conclusion as to what is the real mood of the people out there in the wider society. The fact that the Portia factor and its attendant emphasis on doom and gloom did not work in the People's National Party's favour should not be interpreted to mean that the poor can indeed take more and more of the same. A grim scenario which means taxes and more taxes.
I am sure that Mr Golding and his team will agree with all well-thinking citizens of this country that we cannot simply tax our way out of our problems. The bottom line is that we must grow the economy. As the old saying goes, "Take care of the banana and the banana will take care of you."
Lest Jamaicans forget, we are not new to tightening our belts and making sacrifices. It is fair to say that for the most part since the attainment of political independence in 1962, Jamaicans have been caught in a vortex of socio-economic woes engendered primarily by the failed policies of successive administrations whose main option, instead of dangling the carrot first, has always been to use the big-stick approach. As a result, Jamaica is one of the most overtaxed countries in the world and one in which to do legitimate business is akin to walking a tightrope over a cauldron of boiling water.
If the government intends to use the West Portland experience as its only barometer, then it may well be looking down the barrel of a gun, figuratively or otherwise. As frightening and intimidating as this may sound, we need to call a spade a spade which means we must take our heads out of the sand, unlike the proverbial ostrich, and face the music. With this most troubling situation unfolding, I have a few suggestions for the government of the day.
First, swallow pride and arrogance and engage the Opposition PNP constructively as to the way forward.
The current crisis that besets us, and which is likely to get worse before it gets better, demands national consensus, not the present divisive, tribal politics which sees numerous "tracing matches" taking place in the House of Parliament. The PNP, too, must accept the fact that it lost the 2007 general election and stop playing "spoilsport". This type of behaviour is neither in theirs nor the country's best interest at this time.
Second, it is well known that the dual citizenship issue has put a wedge between the governing Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party in that Mr Golding is maintaining that the Opposition wants to overthrow the government by way of the courts. And even though PNP President Portia Simpson Miller has denied any such intention, common sense must tell her and Mr Golding that the country cannot afford to be in an election mode indefinitely while "Jah kingdom goes to waste."
If sufficient focus is to be placed on keeping Jamaica out of the jaws of a sustained depression, then the two major political parties must find a quick and pragmatic solution to this vexing matter. Otherwise, "dawg gwine nyam we suppa"!
Third, Mr Golding must display extraordinary leadership skills by bringing to the table at Jamaica House the best minds in this country to forge the best possible way forward. What a great and pivotal moment it would be in Jamaica's history if we could in one room see the likes of former prime ministers (and ministers of finance to boot) Edward Seaga and PJ Patterson, not to mention David Coore, Hugh Small, Dr Omar Davies, along with other key members of government, the Opposition, the private sector and civil society, to name a few, crunching the figures and giving their input as to the best way forward.
Yes, the cynics will be quick to throw out such an idea, bemoaning the fact (and perhaps rightly so) that these are some of the very same individuals that have been the architects of our economic stagnation, but what people, I ask you, are most suitable to take us out of the current quagmire? And isn't this the best way to redeem themselves?
It cannot all be about taxes and more taxes. Creative and innovative ways must be found to take us out of our misery, not further compound the problem. With increasing unemployment, an expected upsurge in crime, a horrendous high cost of living (and dying!), along with all the other attendant evils, a serious look must be taken at the high interest rate regime, tax reform, the elimination of corruption and too much red tape which inhibits production and, of course, security.
Right now tourism, which is the only sector in the economy showing some positive signs, could be completely railroaded if the crime problem is not tackled holistically. The current mealy-mouthed, piecemeal approaches to dealing with this monster is akin to us riding on the back of the tiger which means we will soon end up in its belly.
It remains to be seen, therefore, if the hole(s) in the budget will prevent the Golding administration from presenting a plan of action that is holistic and not just "holey". The former suggests thinking out of the box and pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps.
The latter means that we may well continue to be wholly taken up with frantically plugging holes even as more holes emerge.
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...LEY_BUDGET.asp