By Vitruvius
OKAY, TIME for me to cast my vote. I nominate Public Defender, Howard Hamilton for Prime Minister.
Anyone who can shift through the verbiage and double speak and recognise that an integral part of Jamaica's future will involve the development of the inner cities, should lead this country.
It is also correct that the business community should foot the bill. The rich have far too long seen the inner city as something to ignore, use, or blame. They compound the problem by not hiring from these areas.
True some make "contributions", highlighted recently as extortion, but by far there has been very little given towards true development. Studies world wide, especially in the far east, have shown that provision of housing, managed and upgraded infrastructure, development, and beautifying inner cities, have helped reduce crime, and fuelled economic growth.
Form a partnership
So the business people and the Government should form a partnership: the businesses to fund programmes of development, develop trust and provide training and jobs; and the government gives them a break.
Tax incentives and the removal of the outlandish duties from imported raw materials are some of the measures that would make the whole thing more appealing. As for the social investment fund being the channel for these projects, no way! That is a government agency and it should remain so.
Businesses should set up their own development agency, hire consultants and professionals (all of which seem to be missing from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund as I and others have had to deal with them on several occasions), and set up programmes, not JSIF type projects.
Sustainability is the key here, not a project that gets left behind to deteriorate. Many crimes are committed out of frustration or anger, and are really a response to the conditions of neglect and oppression.
The more fortunate sees a man stealing mangoes, but that man sees it as finding food. A balance needs to be found somewhere and a wonderful place to start is by helping to break the cycle of poverty, crime and waste.
Waste of time, waste of life and waste of opportunity. All three "big voices" are right: Mr. Hamilton, that it should be done, Mr. Moses that $2 billion isn't enough, and Dr. Davies that the business community shouldn't rule it out.
My suggestions are that they get together, discuss options, invite Douglas Orane, my other nomination for Prime Minister, a few selected professionals (not the ones working in the inner city) with fresh eyes, do the studies (not too many for too long that waste money) and involve the community leaders.
Some would argue that some organisations are already operating in these areas, such as the churches, but what is needed is hard cash on a large scale. Major surgery, not bandaids.
Maybe if Mr. Issa were to make an investment in the inner city which would help to reduce crime and in turn help tourism, then just maybe Father Ho-Lung will forgive him.
Vitruvius_@hotmail.com
