Hypocritical PNP vs 'fraidy-fraidy' JLP gov't

[Assasin]

when i point out the hypocritical stance by Davis and others, others talk all kind of things but the problem is their leadership has compounded problem for the country.

It is time for fresh spokepeople in the PNP to take up the mantle and come with new ideas.

[Don1]

MARK WIGNALL
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Some years ago when Dr Dennis Minott, founder of A-Quest did a survey of high schools, Meadowbrook High School came out ahead of traditional top performers such as Campion, Immaculate and even KC, Minott's alma mater.

MARK WIGNALL
I was quite puzzled but Dr Minott explained that schools like Immaculate and Campion begin their game with an automatic advantage by taking in on day one only the top performers in the Common Entrance Examination (prior to G-Sat). After applying specific weights to each high school in his testing programme, it was determined that based on the "raw material" that came in on day one versus what the schools turned out six years later, Meadowbrook came out number one.

If we do even a cursory examination of political administrations in this country, the JLP administration of 1962 to 1972 would show, in raw growth statistics, that it was the most "successful" of all that we have had since we became independent. The truth is, Jamaica in those days was in many respects like Campion and Immaculate, on the receiving end of overseas investments without us having to ship out every week high-powered, expensive delegations on junkets to beg investors to take advantage of cheap wages and an easily trainable work force.

For this reason, it has been my personal judgement that based on how badly wrecked Jamaica's economy was after nine years of Michael Manley's faux-democratic socialist experiment (1972-1980), Eddie Seaga's leadership of the country in the 1985 to 1989 period (of his 1980 to 1989 stint) was the most successful period of political management in our post-independence history.

I say this against the background that Michael Manley was our most beloved leader and Eddie Seaga was our most reviled. It was always easy to fall in love with Michael Manley. He was warm and charming, and the ladies adored him. Publicly, Seaga was disliked and he came across as cold and not the sort of man one would want to sit down with and have a drink. If the ladies loved him, it was kept very secret.

Because of that, once he fixed the wreck that came about under Michael's watch, the country ditched him. It is also my belief that Seaga made a most grievous error in his "with malice towards none" speech in his victory acceptance in 1980. All that speech did was grease the hinges on the door to make it easy for the political pirates to enter.

Remember now, in 1980 the country was well aware of many of the misdeeds of the 1972 to 1980 PNP administration. Once it became clear in the bloody months of July 1980 to October 1980 that the JLP was going to destroy the PNP at the polls, many people on the streets wanted the JLP and expected it to deal with the PNP by "locking dem up".

SEAGA... his leadership in 1985 to 1989 was the most successful period of political management in our post-independence history

"Malice towards none" may have sounded statesman-like when Seaga uttered it, but in reality it created a template for an unwritten quid pro quo between the PNP and the JLP, called an "elite club" by Bruce Golding in 1997. That code essentially said, "If mi tief, you sey nutten. If you tief, mi sey nutten.'

But there is an even more insidious type of political immorality that speaks to the ethics in our politics. In many ways the man of the moment in the PNP, Omar Davies, is our best example of this. Just prior to the JLP win in September 2007, I had private discussions with certain JLP-connected people where I told them that in less than a month after they won, a full report to the nation should be made to the people of this country. To me it was simple. One had to give account for the "raw material" that the JLP was beginning with.

Well, it didn't happen, and coupled with impossible promises that the JLP made in its election campaign, the state is now locked inside a cocoon of confusion.

When Dr Omar Davies speaks with authority and dares to lecture the JLP administration, I admit to cringing. I say to myself, is this the man under whose watch the entire black entrepreneurial class was destroyed? Is this the same man under whose watch inflation spiked to unheard-of levels, businesses were destroyed by his evil monetary policy and banks were lending money at 60 per cent? Is this the same man who ran down the economy in such a manner that for the entire 14 years of his being the finance minister, the country "grew" in aggregate three percentage points and placed us close to the bottom of the pile in the Caribbean?

Let us not forget those items which were left off the budget which have come back to haunt the JLP administration and its lack of readiness on assuming government, namely, debts incurred by Air Jamaica, the Sugar Company and JUTC which have had to be assumed by government, the interest payments on which amount to $6.2 billion per year. Arrears in those loans have raised expenses to $1.9 billion. Interest payments due to Bank of Jamaica are now $12.795 billion. Losses incurred by Clarendon Alumina Production because of 2001 forward-sale agreement 2008/09, $3 billion; 2009/10, $3.6 billion. Additional provision to meet operating losses of the Sugar Company in 2009/10, $1.3 billion. Indebtedness to Ashtrom relating to Sabina Park and Soapberry Treatment Plant, $484 million.

Not yet included is the cost to service the National Road Operating and Constructing Company debt that up to now has been covered by a portion of the loans which will be exhausted by the end of this year. My information is that losses for 2008 were in the region of $8 billion. So far, I have been unable to determine what will be the cost of servicing that debt, but according to one government source, "It is going to be huge and a massive burden on this country. I know that efforts are being made to secure cheaper money to pay out some of the expensive loans that were used to finance it. In that way we hope to reduce the service cost."

Additionally, as is the norm, MPs were due a seven per cent increase last year. Some may consider it purely symbolic and scoff at it against Mike Henry's house-refurbishing cost. Not only did Golding convince his MPs that that raise was an impossibility, but he cut his own pay by 15 per cent and had his MPs sign to accept a cut of 10 per cent. The cut was remitted to the accountant general and was assigned for budgetary support for indigent relief.

Want to have a guess as to which set of people did not agree to that pay cut? All Opposition MPs! Hypocritical PNP.

The PNP has taken hypocrisy to the level of art and science and the hapless JLP government is trapped in it simply because it did not come clean to the country on day one. For sure we know that dark days are ahead, but had the JLP administration faced the music early in its first year, the PNP would have been forced to be more creative in its criticisms. My advice to Omar Davies now? Shut up!

observemark@gmail.com

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum..._JLP_GOV_T.asp

Mark is generally on the mark.

The main thing he doesn't or cannot address is by far the most important...
viz....what's the solution to the mess??

Certainly not more of the same political musical chairs....on this question he like most Jamaicans can't see past their noses.

[Karl]

btw - Would anyone want to hazard a guess on why the committee established to review the meltdown in the financial sector and the failure of some businesses under the PNP's watch has stalled?

My guess is the truth about the level of administration and management at the failed institutions and businesses was so appalling that the failures were 'just rewards'! The embarassment that those who 'bawled bloody murder' would fell if the truth was publicly aired has given them leaden feet. Their false claims and in some cases outright lies has then at 'stop'!

I recall the incompetence of a 'bawler' from the Mandeville area - I think it was - who entered into a relationship with a Latin American entity to supply transformers without proper purchase order arrangements and letters of credit payment guarantees being held up by many in the news media and many on this site as a great example of a person and company the PNP ruined.

Well the story was as above, incompetence. The man borrowed vast sums and prodced transformers like crazy. He had no buyer for his product. Had them laying all over his place of business and could not service his loan obligations. It turns out his residence was a part of the collateral for the loans.

Well his lending institutions came calling.

PNP's fault or poor business practise?
The press and the jokers on this site shouted 'a PNP fault'.

Next 'a letter' from Paul Chen-Young was posted as prime example of 'PNP fault'. Paul Chen-Young, if I am not mistaken claimed he was ready to appear before any committee established to look into why his businesses disappeared. Where is Mr. Paul Chen-Young?

The committee has publicly stated its disappointment over non-appearance of those who claimed 'PNP fault' for their failures.

Still no Paul Chen-Young, a poster boy of the Comments and Maudibs...the Mark Wignalls and Betty Ann Blaines...and others of their kind?!

I am sure those who blame the PNP must be lighting a fire under the tails of the 'bawlers' to move them forward to present their cases of 'PNP faults' and transgressions. What is the hold up? Leaden feet? Hell...Yes!

[wbvs]

....what's the solution to the mess??

The JLP are doing it , they have allocated funds to fight crime + getting help from europe in criminology , and are back with the IMF (cheaper loans ) ...things will improve , those 2 things give us hopes .

[Mosiah]

The JLP are doing it , they have allocated funds to fight crime + getting help from europe in criminology , and are back with the IMF (cheaper loans ) ...things will improve , those
2 things give up hopes .

[Lazie]

" Paul Chen-Youn, if I am not mistaken claimed he was ready to appear before the JLP any committee established to look into why his businesses disappeared. Where is Mr. Paul Chen-Young? The committee has publicly stated its disappointment over non-appearance of those who claimed 'PNP fault' for their failures."

Yet you're one of those quick to call ppl liad?

FINSAC enquiry postponed

2009-09-22 13:13:28 | (0 Comments)
The Commission of Enquiry into the operations of the Financial Sector Adjustment Company (FINSAC) has been postponed until November 03.

The enquiry was scheduled to begin this morning at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

Former Solicitor General Michael Hylton told the Gleaner Power 106 News that the enquiry was put off because his client, Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor Derrick Lattibeaudierre did not show up.

Mr. Lattibeaudiere should have been the first witness.

However, he’s among a five-member team on a visit to Washington to hold talks with officials of the IMF.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Association of Finsac'd Entrepreneurs, Neville Boxe, says he’s disappointed about what he called a bad start to the enquiry.

He believes the government’s failure to address the issue sooner has contributed to the delays.

The FINSAC enquiry is seeking to examine the circumstances that led to the collapse of Jamaica’s financial institutions in the 1990’s.

Retired high court judge Boyd Carey is presiding over the Commission of Enquiry.

[wbvs]

wait deh , nuh pnp ah barrow from private business
fi finance budget ...di Imf nuh give cheaper loans ?
nuh peter phillips an simpson-miller cluesless approach to
crime ...wats so funny ?

[Karl]

Um.. what segment of business drives growth in a country ?

...and we all know that where small businesses are concerned as soon as one fails two or three move in to fill the void...so what is your point?

[Muadib]

ok so how do you explain the cumalative 3% growth under Omar.. if that segement was thriving (in your fevered imaginings)

Do you understand the concept of debt in running a business ??

[Lazie]

wait deh , nuh pnp ah barrow from private business
fi finance budget ...di Imf nuh give cheaper loans ?
nuh peter phillips an simpson-miller cluesless approach to
crime ...wats so funny ?

wbvs, the money from the IMF cannot be used for budget financing.

[Gamma]

i was wondering what carey was up to these days. said to be one of our brightest judges. had a stint on the court of appeal in BAH i believe.

[Muadib]

Musical Chairs ??

If you were paying attention to history.. the PNP has occupied the chair for 6 Terms since 1972..

Is only a likkle snap election save Eddie mek him buy some time to stabilize tings.. oddah dan dat.. is what Musical chairs yuh talking bout ??

LOL !

[Mosiah]

not yet!

[wbvs]

wbvs, the money from the IMF cannot be used for budget financing.

suh wappen to balance of payments ? nuh
still budget financing ?.

[Muadib]

Mi know yuh have sense.. so what is your motive ?

"That day will come, when I shall stand and see all those wicked men and the fiyah gettin bun
That day will come, when they will try to escape and there will be nowhere to run "

Omar day soon come.. careful yuh nuh stan too close..