Andrew Holness is a...fool!

[Mosiah]

No other word can describe his assish behaviour in parliament today when he made his demands, however unsolicited as he reminded us repeatedly, as if that gave him a right to do so. Then he began the blame-game, demanding that the govt. stick to the anti-crime plans so as never to return to the high crime rate that his govt. inherited.

What an ass!!!!

He's lucky they saved his constituency for him. It would have been embarrassing had...yuh know what, some tings nuh good fi talk inna di rum bar!

[OJ]

not sure i follow. he is a fool because he wants a continuity in decreasing crime rate?

[Mosiah]

Well, let me tell you why he's a fool.

I am not aware of any JLP-govt. crime policy that resulted in the drop of crime, unless perhaps you count Bruce's eventual capitulation in the extradition request.

He is a fool because he did not have the anatomy (no balls, no spine) to tell his failed leader to back off and do the right thing with the extradition request and with Manatt.

He's a fool because he is lecturing the govt. about staying the course of a JLP govt. whose economic policy ran off the track over a year ago, the last time they passed an IMF test. And they refused to give the details of what really was going on with the IMF for months. In fact, they never did!

He's a fool because his tone and message did little to further the solemn pledges made by both sides to promote respect, decorum and decency in Parliament for a change. Can't say I remember a lot of opening days in Parliament, but his tone and message seemed wantonly out of place.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ead/lead2.html

Want more reasons?

[Exile]

Well said.

[Willi]

While I agree about time and place...especially in the cordial atmosphere, dont forget this:

Ratings agency urges 'political continuity'
Ratings agency urges 'political continuity' of economic programmes

Rating agencies Fitch and Moody's individually maintained Jamaica's sovereign debt rating at just below investment grade in their year-end Latin America review.

The reviews were issued days ahead of the December 29 polls.

Moody's indicated that a positive outlook or other upward ratings movement could result if fiscal consolidation efforts to contract the deficit and the debt are successful, or economic growth rebounds strongly, leading to a sustainable drop in the main debt metrics.

"It will require a combination of continued fiscal restraint and structural reforms supporting faster economic growth. This depends on policy continuity to ensure that recent efforts to improve the fiscal and debt position bear fruit," said Moody's disclosures on credit rating for Jamaica.

"This is under the control of Jamaica's political system. But it also requires no major external shock that impacts public finances, which is not susceptible to government control."

Jamaica's B3 foreign and local-currency government-bond ratings reflected the country's low economic development, moderate institutional strength, weak government finances, and high susceptibility to shocks, stated Moody's.

"Jamaica's per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is higher than the B-category median but annual growth has averaged less than 1.0 per cent a year in the last decade. The country has been in recession for the past three years, only recovering in the first quarter of 2011. Lack of growth makes reducing the debt burden difficult and the country's debt-to-revenues ratio remains among the highest in its rating category, even after last year's domestic debt exchange," Moody's argued.

Vulnerable economy

The ratings agency said a high tolerance for fiscal austerity measures among the population, and the country's broad consensus on economic policies supports our view of moderate institutional strength, a key support for the rating.

The country's high susceptibility to event risk is the result of an economy highly vulnerable to external shocks given the importance of tourism and the continued need for external financing. Jamaica's per capita GDP is higher than the B-category median, but annual growth has averaged less than 1.0 per cent a year in the last decade.

Fitch maintained a B- rating on Jamaica's sovereign credit rating with a stable outlook. Its forecast of growth at 1.2 per cent and 1.0 per cent in 2011 and 2012, respectively, trails the region.

Comparatively, Latin America's real GDP is estimated to grow by 3.9 per cent in 2011 and 3.4 per cent in 2012.

Fitch said Brazil and Mexico are expected to record moderate growth rates while Colombia, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay will be more dynamic, but Jamaica and El Salvador will continue to underperform.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) stand-by programmes provide a strong policy anchor and access to foreign currency liquidity support for the smaller countries of the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Jamaica.

"However, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica have not received IMF disbursements recently due to delays in completing their respective quarterly reviews with the Fund," cautioned Fitch.

Jamaica's 27-month standby agreement with the IMF, which ends in May, has been stalled for a year, due to a lack of progress on a programme to cut the public sector and tax reform.

The Government has missed four quarterly tests under the IMF programme, causing a partial freeze on multilateral funding.

The People's National Party, which won last Thursday's election, has said it plans to negotiate a new IMF arrangement.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...business3.html

[Mosiah]

Do you think the last govt. could have come clean with the status of the IMF deal? Was Moody's and the rest of them concerned about that? Apparently, they were. What did they have to say about the JLP govt's silence on the matter?

[Willi]

Dunno and I agree that they should come clean.

All I am saying is that is not just Holness making this continuity call. Perhaps he knows something we dont?

In any case, he should have huddled with Portia in private about this. Somethings need to be bigger than politics.

This is part of the storm threatening all Jamaica!

[Bricktop]

Why are you harping on the opposition...they are the opposition let's focus on the governing party shall we...

[Muadib]

you seem rather emotional and irrational when it comes to JLP leaders..

him mash yuh toe tuh ?

[Mosiah]

I understand Holness' problem. Never before has a governing party been stopped BRAPS! in its tracks because we usually give them 2 terms. Well, it's not the electorates' fault why they were kicked out. Clearly, the electorate believes the PNP is the better choice. Our ministers have been given the chance to chart their own course and if that includes keeping some of the JLP policies, great! No party has ever come into office and just wiped clean what the previous govt. has done.

Andy needs to chill!

[Muadib]

him nevah get di memo..

lol !

[Mosiah]

Andy better step aside cause him nuh waan di JEEP fi mash fi him toe. Is a HEABY vehicle dat!

[Mosiah]

I wrote the damn memo! Yuh figget!?!?

[Muadib]

oh.. can you explain the state of Downtown ? It just stap.. BRAPS.. actually reverse..

[Willi]

Nuh you did seh Opposition gets too much focus in Jamaica?

I tended to agree and so I dont see why yuh getting so bothered? It not really important. Portia and her team has not rolled out anything yet, so who going to pay any attention to Holness in such an environment, except di moneymen from farrin? And even they will focus more on PP.