PM Moves To 'Correct A Historical Wrong'

[Mosiah]

PM Moves To 'Correct A Historical Wrong'
Published: Saturday | January 26, 2013 17 Comments
Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

HAMPTON COURT, St Thomas:THE GOVERNMENT on Thursday undertook to do what Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller described as "correcting a historical wrong".

Delivering the keynote address at the contract-signing ceremony for the relocation of 486 current and former sugar workers, Simpson Miller declared that the time had come to redress the squalor and deplorable conditions these Jamaicans had endured for decades.

"The intention is to build wholesome communities, remove the stigma associated with living in barracks, and thereby correct a historical wrong that has persisted for far too long," Simpson Miller told the audience during the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday.

"The time has now come for a fundamental and sustainable transformation of the way sugar workers live. I was determined to see this happen as part of my contribution to national development and the positive transformation of the lives of our people," she added.

The prime minister acknowledged that it would have been irresponsible of her government to ignore such social ills that have persisted, with the relocation project in line with its plans for taking economic transformation to new heights as part of the national growth strategy.

'SERIOUS ABOUT RURAL DEVELOPMENT'

She explained: "The Government that I lead recognises that sustainable economic growth and development cannot be achieved without addressing the social and environmental elements. We're serious about integrated rural development to provide Jamaicans in rural areas with opportunities to earn a decent livelihood and remain in their communities."

The prime minister went on to outline the Government's strategies for achieving sustained growth and development, but did not go into specifics. They are:

Carrying out the tough economic programme necessary to stabilise the economy and establish the platform for sustained economic growth;

Aggressively pursuing the development agenda in respect of projects which are currently in progress;

Doing all it can to protect the vulnerable in an efficient and effective and compassionate way, with the overarching objective always in view to move as many people as possible from welfare to work, from work to well-being and from well-being to wealth creation.

Simpson Miller also advised that the Government is renewing efforts to make service more responsive to the needs of the public within the constraints of the available resources.

[Willi]

How it aggo get paid for?

[Time]

How it aggo get paid for?

Where did the money come from to pay the consultants?

[Willi]

good question!

money a spend, but income uncertain.

[Mosiah]

Perhaps we need some radical intervention as what happened in Zimbabwe?

[Mosiah]

Time still to put an end to this landlessness and pauperised living that was thrust upon the black people, former slaves, of this country. Something radical must be done.

Pity our governments squandered the potential of the country making it extremely difficult for them to right the many wrongs.

[Bricktop]

Taking land from political opponents and redistributing it to party loyalists?

[Mosiah]

Is that your suggestion?

[Willi]

But that is the gist of it.

Hommutch house 60 SUVs can buy?

[Willi]

No, that IS indeed what happened.

Stop the dreaming and do fuss tings fuss.

Cant expect to eff up di thing and still solve intractable problems.

Right now we create historical wrongs every day....no wonder the Keyman lock di door and gone..

[Islandman]

That worked out really well, didn't it? LOL

[Time]

Time still to put an end to this landlessness and pauperised living that was thrust upon the black people, former slaves, of this country. Something radical must be done.

Pity our governments squandered the potential of the country making it extremely difficult for them to right the many wrongs.

Yes, the field slaves were left to suffer and their decendants are still suffering. Manley's free high school education helped a few toescape and UWI help even fewer but they helped. Good thing the UWI above ground escape route cannot be sold to the private sector without the approval of the other members of the West Indies.

[Willi]

This kinda thinking got us into the current bind.

We should rather be thinking of a rising tide lifting all boats and the REASON to lift everyone, is that we are ignoring untapped talent pools. How many Einsteins and Bolts getting left out?

While I hate to see my fellow Jakans living in squalor, we need to find a self-sustaining path to GENERAL development and prosperity. Perhaps EDUCATION investment and quality improvement should take on a higher importance at this time? While eddikashun cyaaan eat, it can allow the recipient to EARN and buy dem owna food later on in life.

As to why the sudden urgency in THIS case after 50 years of ignoring and how many spanking SUVs bought for Green and Orange "honourables", forgive me if I remain skeptical.

At the current rate, GOJ will go bankrupt and UWI will be in danger of folding or at best severely curtailed. Watch and learn. Those with eyes to see are already seeing the inevitable.

Plain truth....no more time to sugar coat anything.

[Willi]

Elementary my dear Watson, elementary.

[Islandman]

Wait, you inna top form this mawning?

There was an interesting article in the Gleaner over the weekend about UWI where the writer was arguing that the institution is now almost tax neutral when all govt expenses and revenue streams were factored in. If the figures are accurate then that is exactly the direction we need to go in.

I grew up in St Thomas and I must say it has always been depressing to see the slave-like living quarters of the sugar workers.Hence I totally sympathize in principle with the effort to change that. As usual though, the "how to pay for it" argument is avoided.