'I soon gone again'.....Portia mash dem.

[Sir X]

'I soon gone again'
Portia defends overseas trips

BY INGRID BROWN Associate editor -- special assignment browni@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, January 24, 2014 19 Comments

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SIMPSON MILLER... when I am going on my private trips I pay my way or my husband buys my ticket

PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller has defended her frequent overseas trips, even as she made it clear that there is no immediate end in sight to the jet-hopping.

"I want [to tell] those who [are] criticising, pay your way and come with me and you will see a leader at work... no rest, day and night, in the interest of the Jamaican people," she said yesterday.

"And I soon gone again, because this weekend I am going to Cuba for something for heads of Latin America and Caribbean to have discussions on a number of critical [issues]," she quipped.

The prime minister, who announced that her Government — with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) -- will spend another $46 million to install farm roads and drainage for a packaging house in Yallahs, St Thomas, said such international support is the reason she will continue to accept overseas invitations.

"I want to set it straight, when President Moreno of the IDB invites me to do something anywhere, I am going to respond, because I know what they (IDB) have done for us," she said.

She was speaking at yesterday's commissioning of the Yallahs Irrigation System and the launch of the Yallahs agro-park in St Thomas, which were funded through the IDB.

According to Simpson Miller, she will not turn down any invitation, which could result in Jamaica losing out on the benefits that bilateral meetings provide.

"...Hope that will be an education for some, that leaders are invited by heads [of government], and if they do not travel for those bilateral [talks] then your country would lose some benefits, and I do not intend for Jamaica to lose [out]...," she noted.

Last December, Opposition Leader Andrew Holness tabled questions in the House of Representatives seeking information from the prime minister on the frequency of her overseas trips and the costs, as well as the cost of trips made by other members of the Government since January 2012.

Simpson Miller, who yesterday said that she wanted to set the record straight, pointed to the 'goodies' she brought back from her overseas travels such as the $1.6-billion grant from China.

"When I am going on my private trips I pay my way or my husband buys my ticket," Simpson Miller said.

She said her ministers are being criticised for travelling overseas, she recalled when she first became prime minister in 2007 that Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke visited Europe and pounded the pavement there to get support so that sugar workers can now be relocated from the terrible conditions of the barracks.

Meanwhile, Simpson Miller said the commissioning of the irrigation system and the launch of the agro-park project is meant to restore the Yallahs Valley to its former productive state and to serve as a major boost to rural development.

"This Government is taking a planned approach to agricultural development," she declared.

The Yallahs Agro-Park, she announced, has started production in earnest with some 22 acres of onions under production for which there is a contracted market for the entire crop.

[Sir X]

EDITORIAL - PM's Encouraging Stand On Economy
Published: Friday | January 24, 2014 0 Comments
This newspaper is encouraged by the tone and posture of ownership of Jamaica's economic policy that is increasingly being adopted by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in the face of pushback by critics, who, if allowed their way, would undermine the programme.

There is, of course, no question that the majority of Jamaicans face tough economic times as the Government implements the austerity measures required by its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In the circumstance, it would be easy for the administration - and Mrs Simpson Miller - to play to populist antecedents and blame it all on the Fund. We have been on that road before. Ultimately, it led to nowhere.

It is against that backdrop that the prime minister's remarks at the stock exchange's investment conference on Tuesday have deep resonance with us and ought to be applauded by those who wish Jamaica's emergence from its economic crisis, and appreciate Mrs Simpson Miller's potentially great value in this effort.

She said: "My administration does not, in any way, seek to resile from taking responsibility for the tough decisions which had to be made. We have not presented these decisions as being impositions by the IMF. That would be a cop-out.

"Whilst we may disagree with the Fund in terms of the pace of some of the adjustments, we accept that the adjustments are necessary."

IMPORTANT STATEMENT

That statement is important on several fronts.

First, it represents a renewed declaration of the administration's commitment to the policies, which, we take it, include the Government's pledge that it would not be swayed by political considerations as it faces the inevitable election cycle.

Additionally, we read into the prime minister's declaration an undertaking to allocate some of her immense political capital in rallying public support for the economic project and ensuring its ultimate success. This is important, for no one in the political arena rivals Mrs Simpson Miller's talent for effectively communicating with the majority of the Jamaican people.

By rallying her natural constituency, the prime minister brings an additional value. She weakens the opportunity for a new wave of Keynesian extremists gaining purchase with the majority to orchestrate the overthrow of the economic programme.

FACING REALITY

Jamaica was forced into austerity because, for too long, we borrowed too much, running up a debt that was one and a half times the value of our annual output, which became too burdensome to service. Further, no one was willing to lend us any more money - at least not at rates we could afford.

The Government is being forced to spend less while attempting to have more people pay their fair share of taxes and, at the same time, reform the economy to make it more globally competitive. The schemes to reduce corporate income tax and general lower-factor costs are moves in the right direction, even though there is much more to be done.

The policy extremists, however, would insist that a broke Government engage in 'stimulus' spending and provide other ill-defined benefits for industry. What is not revealed is how these mostly nebulous programmes are to be funded, except, perhaps, it is assumed that Jamaica's is a powerful economy, with a dollar that is globally a reserve currency, to which people are willing to lend at low rates of interests even as it rides out an economic hump.

That, though, is not the reality.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.

[Rockman]

Well we can all agree that EVERYONE got their wish,Portia spoke!!!
She is a VERY smart person,she knows those amongst us that gorged in the feeding fenzy would have gotten oblivious to their surroundings,she waited..and then struck.

Dem fi jus leave har alone.

[Don1]

It look like Portia did ah wait fi si if di economic program wudda start werk....before she start yap bout it

Politically smart....but cowardly from a leadership standpoint

[Sir X]

Smarter than Bruce and Andrew, in that she is practical,maybe she might be the one to move for legalization.


This B.S about her speech is nonsense,I have heard same from some who can do better in tone,language and approach.

[Don1]

Well we can all agree that EVERYONE got their wish,Portia spoke!!!
She is a VERY smart person,she knows those amongst us that gorged in the feeding fenzy would have gotten oblivious to their surroundings,she waited..and then struck.

Dem fi jus leave har alone.

nope...she must be subject to unrelenting but constructive criticism and accountability... Termites should be on a very short leash

[Bricktop]

"This Government is taking a planned approach to agricultural development," she declared.

The Yallahs Agro-Park, she announced, has started production in earnest with some 22 acres of onions under production for which there is a contracted market for the entire crop.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...-mess_15733811

Inneresting...planned approach...

[Rockman]

Clearly two different levels being applied,mere coincidence(they would have us believe) that she is a member of two minorities(race and gender).
It is an absolute disgrace what is going on sah.

[Bricktop]

The report noted further that there is a strong possibility that this might reach the media and hard questions could be asked of AIC and the political directorate.

"This might cause a pause in the project in order for it to be optimised, leading to a delay in the up-scaling of the onion acreage targeted by the GOJ, possibly impacting external arrangements such as with the IMF," the report said.

gwaan Portia...moggle pon dem innna yuh G5

[Don1]

Clearly two different levels being applied,mere coincidence(they would have us believe) that she is a member of two minorities(race and gender).
It is an absolute disgrace what is going on sah.

Maybe so.. but...She wanted the PM job...Criticism of all kinds come with it

She must just get on with the job and ignore petty criticisms from the penny section

If she doesn't like the heat of Jamaican politricks...just get out and mek di next in line face the music. Portia is not indispensable

[Rockman]

Well she NEVER quit or cried.

[Karl]

There is a presenter on MSNBC who likes to say...

Watch this space?

...when we shall compare Sistah P to others of our PMs and chief leaders...I would like to ask you all to, 'watch this lady?'

We should think on - 'Our male leaders have gotten us where we are today'...Where is Sistah P taking us?

Watch this lady, Sistah P. Let us see of progress we make during her time of leadership? Watch this lady????!!!!

[Muadib]

..and she told us of the bitter pill prior to elections...

[Muadib]

Sometimes I think you are actually serious... then I realize it has to be sarcasm..

Yuh good !