Gleaner EDITORIAL: Two different strategies

[Karl]

Two different strategies
published: Sunday | August 12, 2007


After some delay, the People's National Party finally published its election manifesto last Thursday it is wordy and bears signs of haste, it nonetheless is a worthwhile document. The two most significant parts of the manifesto have to do with economic and educational policy. At the same time, the part on crime - the most severe issue facing the country - is surprisingly inadequate.

The section on economic policy bears the stamp of the current Minister of Finance, Dr. Omar Davies. It emphasises to the extreme the importance of macroeconomic stability and makes a strong commitment to increasing the primary surplus - critical for debt reduction. It puts the elimination of the fiscal deficit at the very centre of economic policy. It is blunt about "containing government expenditure" which is simply financial code for minimal social expenditure. This is 'not-changing-course' with a vengeance. One wonders to what extent other members of the PNP leadership understand the full social and other implications of the Davies' line.

Be that as it may, the PNP's economic strategy differs from that of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) both stress macroeconomic stability. The PNP document gives the impression that once we get the prices right, GDP growth will simply happen. Yes, it does speak vaguely about "offering incentives to simulate production" but this is a sideshow. There is a touching faith in the market here - the vision is that it shall fix all. Given the current meltdown on the global financial markets- full of ominous implications for the Jamaican economy - one may wonder if this is not an unwise view, soon to be overtaken by events.

While we do not question the wisdom of market-based solutions, in this crucial area, the JLP manifesto seems less unbalanced. While emphasising macroeconomic stability, the JLP has a growth-oriented vision which envisages a more active role for the State in promoting economic development.

There are also important differences in educational strategy. Belatedly, the PNP seems to have awakened - after 18 years - to the crisis of our youth and places literacy and skills development at the centre of its agenda. This is to be applauded this is clearly a work-in-progress which needs much more thought and public discussion.
In any event, both manifestos provide much food for thought. It is now over to civil society to examine the proposals and to make an informed political choice, whatever that choice may be.


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.

[Karl]

Signs of political maturity
published: Sunday | August 12, 2007


Lambert Brown

Election Day is only 15 days away and if we go by the pollsters, it will be a narrow victory for whoever wins. I hold the view that the winner will have a clear and comfortable working majority.

A month ago, when Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced the election date, there were many who believed the time between the announcement and voting day was too long.

These people feared outbreaks of political violence; they doubted the fact that our people are growing more politically mature. Five weeks into the political campaign, any fair assessment would have to reflect that but for a few unfortunate incidents, the overwhelming direction of the campaign has been peaceful.

Tuesday's nomination day was for me another manifestation of the growing political maturity that is showing up among our people. The photo journalists spent much time capturing and promoting the positive scenes of 'friendly rivalry' and the 'parties partying'.

Mature leadership
There is no doubt that, with proper leadership, the great capacity of our people to do right and promote positive values can be enhanced.

The decision by the Prime Minister to declare the week between Emancipation Day and Independence Day as a week of no public campaigning, as well as setting aside August 4 and 5 as days of fasting and prayer showed enormous vision and inspired leadership on her part - a statesmanlike action if ever there was one. The nation over party politics was her stance.

This novel approach to election campaigning has not gone unnoticed regionally. The Opposition Leader's acceptance of the Prime Minister's proposal has demonstrated that our leaders' maturity can be counted on, going forward in making this country a First-World place to live and do business.

We must, as a country, celebrate in this 45th anniversary of our Independence, the stability and successes of our democracy. We must use the signs of this growing political maturity to reassess how we conduct our daily affairs in Jamaica.

The media had a choice in covering nomination day. They could have 'front-paged' and 'headlined' the few acts of violence; instead, they chose to highlight the acts of camaraderie of our citizens, despite the interesting differences of party affiliation.

This type of coverage has impacted our nation positively and I sincerely wish that this approach of accentuating the positive over the negative will continue in the days, months and years to come.

Last Sunday, the Gleaner published a letter written by Carla Seaga explaining the reasons for her husband not being on the campaign trail. I know many persons who were moved to tears after reading that heartfelt letter.

That letter confirmed that, despite being from different political parties, Prime Minister Simpson Miller and former Prime Minister Edward Seaga do share ideas and look out for the best interest of Jamaica.

This example of political maturity, where the interest of Jamaica is placed above petty partisan politics, needs to be emulated and become a way of life among the rank and file of political parties. Vote for whomever you want, but never allow party affiliation to interfere with doing what is good for Jamaica.

Recipe for gridlock
At the time of writing this column, the PNP had not yet put out its manifesto. Certainly, parties must aim to provide the electorates with ample time to study and dissect their plans, policies and programmes. The JLP is ahead of the PNP in this respect.

Having read the JLP's manifesto, I noticed that like Dr. Ken Baugh in the debate with Dr Phillips, they expect to remain in Opposition when the votes are counted on election day. The purpose of government is to govern and get things done. Let the people judge your actions at election time.

What I saw in the Opposition's manifesto is a recipe for gridlock. The Opposition party has proposed that the Government must allow the Opposition to name the chairman of "all sessional and special select committees of Parliament". I know of no country in the world where this takes place.

In the United States, which the JLP loves to copy, if a party wins the election by even one seat, that party chairs all the committees.

I think the JLP has been in Opposition for so long that it is incapable of thinking other than as an Opposition. How else can we explain the granting of veto power to the parliamentary Opposition on so many issues, from the appointment of certain sensitive posts to debt and deficit ceilings?

Tell me, if there is a gridlock when there is a 'fixed date' for election, how we resolve fundamental issues if we can't call elections?

Tell me, if a party has 50 of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives, but can't convince one member of the Opposition to break ranks and vote with them in the Senate, will we be able to pass a budget showing a deficit?

No fundamental differences
Like the numerous and costly promises of the JLP, their proposals on governance are not well thought-out and are, in fact, dysfunctional and inimical to good governance. What is also amazing about the Opposition party's manifesto is the extent to which it endorses so many of the current PNP government programmes.

From tax reform, rural electrification, oil and gas exploration, inner-city housing, expansion of the police force, an increasing civilian role in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, to building a convention centre in Montego Bay, the JLP seems to be "not changing (the) course" of the PNP government.

Because of the late presentation of the PNP manifesto, I am not able to see if they are 'changing course' on any fundamental issue, but I am sure readers will read and dissect it for themselves.

My prayer is for the nation to maintain and nurture the growing signs of political maturity. May the people and Jamaica be the real winners on election day.
Lambert Brown is president of the University and Allied Workers Union and may be contacted at labpoyh@yahoo.com.

[Muadib]

Signs of political maturity
published: Sunday | August 12, 2007


Lambert Brown

Election Day is only 15 days away and if we go by the pollsters, it will be a narrow victory for whoever wins. I hold the view that the winner will have a clear and comfortable working majority.

A month ago, when Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced the election date, there were many who believed the time between the announcement and voting day was too long.

These people feared outbreaks of political violence; they doubted the fact that our people are growing more politically mature. Five weeks into the political campaign, any fair assessment would have to reflect that but for a few unfortunate incidents, the overwhelming direction of the campaign has been peaceful.

Tuesday's nomination day was for me another manifestation of the growing political maturity that is showing up among our people. The photo journalists spent much time capturing and promoting the positive scenes of 'friendly rivalry' and the 'parties partying'.

Mature leadership
There is no doubt that, with proper leadership, the great capacity of our people to do right and promote positive values can be enhanced.

The decision by the Prime Minister to declare the week between Emancipation Day and Independence Day as a week of no public campaigning, as well as setting aside August 4 and 5 as days of fasting and prayer showed enormous vision and inspired leadership on her part - a statesmanlike action if ever there was one. The nation over party politics was her stance.

This novel approach to election campaigning has not gone unnoticed regionally. The Opposition Leader's acceptance of the Prime Minister's proposal has demonstrated that our leaders' maturity can be counted on, going forward in making this country a First-World place to live and do business.

We must, as a country, celebrate in this 45th anniversary of our Independence, the stability and successes of our democracy. We must use the signs of this growing political maturity to reassess how we conduct our daily affairs in Jamaica.

The media had a choice in covering nomination day. They could have 'front-paged' and 'headlined' the few acts of violence; instead, they chose to highlight the acts of camaraderie of our citizens, despite the interesting differences of party affiliation.

This type of coverage has impacted our nation positively and I sincerely wish that this approach of accentuating the positive over the negative will continue in the days, months and years to come.

Last Sunday, the Gleaner published a letter written by Carla Seaga explaining the reasons for her husband not being on the campaign trail. I know many persons who were moved to tears after reading that heartfelt letter.

That letter confirmed that, despite being from different political parties, Prime Minister Simpson Miller and former Prime Minister Edward Seaga do share ideas and look out for the best interest of Jamaica.

This example of political maturity, where the interest of Jamaica is placed above petty partisan politics, needs to be emulated and become a way of life among the rank and file of political parties. Vote for whomever you want, but never allow party affiliation to interfere with doing what is good for Jamaica.

Recipe for gridlock
At the time of writing this column, the PNP had not yet put out its manifesto. Certainly, parties must aim to provide the electorates with ample time to study and dissect their plans, policies and programmes. The JLP is ahead of the PNP in this respect.

Having read the JLP's manifesto, I noticed that like Dr. Ken Baugh in the debate with Dr Phillips, they expect to remain in Opposition when the votes are counted on election day. The purpose of government is to govern and get things done. Let the people judge your actions at election time.

What I saw in the Opposition's manifesto is a recipe for gridlock. The Opposition party has proposed that the Government must allow the Opposition to name the chairman of "all sessional and special select committees of Parliament". I know of no country in the world where this takes place.

In the United States, which the JLP loves to copy, if a party wins the election by even one seat, that party chairs all the committees.

I think the JLP has been in Opposition for so long that it is incapable of thinking other than as an Opposition. How else can we explain the granting of veto power to the parliamentary Opposition on so many issues, from the appointment of certain sensitive posts to debt and deficit ceilings?

Tell me, if there is a gridlock when there is a 'fixed date' for election, how we resolve fundamental issues if we can't call elections?

Tell me, if a party has 50 of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives, but can't convince one member of the Opposition to break ranks and vote with them in the Senate, will we be able to pass a budget showing a deficit?

No fundamental differences
Like the numerous and costly promises of the JLP, their proposals on governance are not well thought-out and are, in fact, dysfunctional and inimical to good governance. What is also amazing about the Opposition party's manifesto is the extent to which it endorses so many of the current PNP government programmes.

From tax reform, rural electrification, oil and gas exploration, inner-city housing, expansion of the police force, an increasing civilian role in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, to building a convention centre in Montego Bay, the JLP seems to be "not changing (the) course" of the PNP government.

Because of the late presentation of the PNP manifesto, I am not able to see if they are 'changing course' on any fundamental issue, but I am sure readers will read and dissect it for themselves.

My prayer is for the nation to maintain and nurture the growing signs of political maturity. May the people and Jamaica be the real winners on election day.
Lambert Brown is president of the University and Allied Workers Union and may be contacted at labpoyh@yahoo.com.

Ok so you sold out to the Devil, Lambert.

We get it already.

Maybe it was your love for Eddie or the new letters after your name.. who knows, who cares.

Thanks for the notification.

[Karl]

What is also amazing about the Opposition party's manifesto is the extent to which it endorses so many of the current PNP government programmes.

From tax reform, rural electrification, oil and gas exploration, inner-city housing, expansion of the police force, an increasing civilian role in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, to building a convention centre in Montego Bay, the JLP seems to be "not changing (the) course" of the PNP government.

...and, he made a tremendous mistake on the above. No one here should be amazed. Did dun tell unnuh before di launch of the JLP's manifesto that it would include just about 'ALL' = as 'only' PNP programs and plans...ongoing and tabled!

Then Bruce in the debate rammed the point home with his open endorsement of "too many to count" PNP programs and plans the JLP will "run come hug-up"!