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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Another state of emergency?</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline>The shining Assamba, more pay for PM's speech writers</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
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</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Ken Chaplin</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Two serious statements relating to the security of the country were made recently by two high officials. Commissioner of police Lucius Thomas predicted that based on intelligence, there could be violence leading up to the general elections constitutionally due this year. Then George Lee, mayor of Portmore and PNP bigwig stated, according to the Daily Gleaner, that he had uncovered a plot by a powerful Spanish Town gang, to facilitate the movement of a large stock of illegal guns into Portmore. Other officials, including one high court judge, have also spoken of impending violence.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Many people have interpreted the statements as the stage being set for the declaration of a state of emergency. The police should investigate each report and where necessary throw a curfew around suspected areas, then go for the guns and gunmen without issuing statements that will frighten people. On the other hand, others have said it is good to send a clear signal to the gunmen that the authorities are aware of their intentions and this, it is hoped, will dissuade them. Yet the country will remember that in l976 Prime Minister Michael Manley's administration declared a state of emergency just before the elections and locked up many key JLP officials based on information that turned out to be false. Many believed that this probably caused the JLP to lose the election. The country has to watch the situation intensely.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Assamba shines
The record-breaking performance in tourism last year has to a large extent been due to the hard work of the tourism minister Aloun Assamba and the staff of the Jamaica Tourist Board. The country owes a debt of gratitude to them. Last year, there were 1,680,642 stop-over tourists, an increase of 13 per cent over 2005 and 1,334,441 cruise passengers, a 17.5 per cent increase onver 2005. The total was 3,015,083, or 15.3 per cent over 2005.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Assamba has strengthened the relationship between various tourism interests overseas and in Jamaica. There is no doubt about the remarkable success she has brought to tourism, especially in light of the high crime rate. She has led with great enthusiasm, dedication, singleness of purpose and determination in charting the course for the country's success. Unfortunately, Assamba has made it clear that she will not contest her South-East St Ann seat in the coming general elections. The problem is that if Assamba is to continue to do her job properly, she has to travel a great deal overseas. In the past, this has affected her presence in the constituency. She is not here to go from bar to bar and village restaurant to village restaurant imbibing, drinking mannish water and eating curried goat with some of the influential PNP people. Besides, being the woman she is, she doesn't seem cut out for that type of thing.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Therefore, it seems that on the basis of her performance, if the PNP wins the general elections due this year, Assamba should be appointed to the Senate and made minister of state in the ministry of tourism to continue building the tourist industry. I happen to know that there is a great deal of support inside and outside the party for this development.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Pay more for PM's speeches<P class=StoryText align=justify>
<SPAN class=Subheadline>The shining Assamba, more pay for PM's speech writers</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=80 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Ken Chaplin</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Two serious statements relating to the security of the country were made recently by two high officials. Commissioner of police Lucius Thomas predicted that based on intelligence, there could be violence leading up to the general elections constitutionally due this year. Then George Lee, mayor of Portmore and PNP bigwig stated, according to the Daily Gleaner, that he had uncovered a plot by a powerful Spanish Town gang, to facilitate the movement of a large stock of illegal guns into Portmore. Other officials, including one high court judge, have also spoken of impending violence.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Many people have interpreted the statements as the stage being set for the declaration of a state of emergency. The police should investigate each report and where necessary throw a curfew around suspected areas, then go for the guns and gunmen without issuing statements that will frighten people. On the other hand, others have said it is good to send a clear signal to the gunmen that the authorities are aware of their intentions and this, it is hoped, will dissuade them. Yet the country will remember that in l976 Prime Minister Michael Manley's administration declared a state of emergency just before the elections and locked up many key JLP officials based on information that turned out to be false. Many believed that this probably caused the JLP to lose the election. The country has to watch the situation intensely.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Assamba shines The record-breaking performance in tourism last year has to a large extent been due to the hard work of the tourism minister Aloun Assamba and the staff of the Jamaica Tourist Board. The country owes a debt of gratitude to them. Last year, there were 1,680,642 stop-over tourists, an increase of 13 per cent over 2005 and 1,334,441 cruise passengers, a 17.5 per cent increase onver 2005. The total was 3,015,083, or 15.3 per cent over 2005.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Assamba has strengthened the relationship between various tourism interests overseas and in Jamaica. There is no doubt about the remarkable success she has brought to tourism, especially in light of the high crime rate. She has led with great enthusiasm, dedication, singleness of purpose and determination in charting the course for the country's success. Unfortunately, Assamba has made it clear that she will not contest her South-East St Ann seat in the coming general elections. The problem is that if Assamba is to continue to do her job properly, she has to travel a great deal overseas. In the past, this has affected her presence in the constituency. She is not here to go from bar to bar and village restaurant to village restaurant imbibing, drinking mannish water and eating curried goat with some of the influential PNP people. Besides, being the woman she is, she doesn't seem cut out for that type of thing.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Therefore, it seems that on the basis of her performance, if the PNP wins the general elections due this year, Assamba should be appointed to the Senate and made minister of state in the ministry of tourism to continue building the tourist industry. I happen to know that there is a great deal of support inside and outside the party for this development.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Pay more for PM's speeches<P class=StoryText align=justify>