Geof BrownTHE PRIME Minister has spoken in the budget debate. A number of media commentators and political prognosticators have been sensing the possibility of early general elections. They can perhaps feel some indication in the tenor of the PM's presentation. There was, without question, an upbeat almost campaign-style mode reminiscent of a U.S. President's State-of-the-Nation address preceding a nominating convention. Indeed the litany of government achievements which capped the speech was clearly meant to answer critics while boosting supporters.
This piece cannot, of course, pretend to be an analysis of the presentation. After last week's column, dealing largely with Mr. Seaga's presentation, I waited for whatever response would surface from the P.M. That, and a few pronouncements not widely covered in media reports but I believe significant, are my focus. To begin with, the optimising generated by Mr. Seaga's support for a couple of the government's major projects, was renewed as the Prime Minister in turn indicated his support for the Opposition Leader's Fort Augusta "magnum opus" project.
Like others, I welcome the maturity which could see the end of topsy-turvy shifting of programmes beneficial to the nation, with every change of government. It's a small start; we can only hope the two leaders will enhance it.
The PM asserted that the worst of our crippling adjustment of the economy is over and that the recovery has begun. In other words, the problems have bottomed out. This, if it turns out to be true, would be the best news in a long, long time. As this is being written, the Standard & Poor's rating of Jamaica has improved from "B" to a "B+". The effect of this advance to help boost investor confidence would, as a complement to an upturn in the economy projected by the PM, provide the beleaguered nation what is badly needed hope.
Human Rights and Justice have rightly come on to the front-burner; no amount of injection into the economy will succeed in redeeming the country if this area fails. The PM gave a very spirited defence of the government's commitment to human rights. He reminded that his government had among other innovations, repealed the Suppression of Crime Act, established the Police Public Complaints Authority, established the Victim Support Unit (serving 6,000 persons over the past two years), established Night Courts and Drug Courts for rehabilitation of drug abusers, expanded the Family Court, established by consensus the position of Public Defender and initiated the Police Force Orders and Guidelines for improving relations with the citizenry they are sworn to protect and defend.
It is an impressive list. Critics will say, so what if all these institutional changes don't work as they should. That might be somewhat less than charitable. But even as the government can be complimented for the array of institutional responses to concern for human rights and justice, it is strongly challenged to find citizen-based mechanisms which will give teeth and bite to the potentially worthwhile initiatives.
The Opposition Leader had put forward a proposal for new hotel rooms to boost occupancy by ten thousand. The PM's answer, it seems, is his proposal for the Port Royal tourism development project which he called the "anchor" for the expansion of tourism in Kingston. A really exciting new approach is projected in the development of the peninsula of Palisadoes to include freeport shopping, marina development and hotel and entertainment facilities. All the tourism projects planned for the south coast, will, in the words of the PM, "have great synergies and together create a product that can transform Kingston."
It is encouraging that the PM speaks to the collaboration of projects spawned by the Government as well as by the Opposition. What I find a promising breakthrough is the projected development of cruise-shipping port facilities in connection with the transformation of Kingston projected. Cruise-shipping is a growth area in tourism. The PM declared that he will be "instructing heads of all agencies involved in the overall development of the area to meet with Mr. Seaga to discuss the plans for the integrated development of the entire area". At last, the appearance of an incipient social contract.
Several other emphases in the PM's presentation impressed me as a concern for fundamentals. Space does not allow for a discussion. The emphasis on Early Childhood Education speaks to a new understanding of taking care of the foundation, not just the superstructure. And here too, the Opposition is in support. The plans for Inner City renewal are timely and it is encouraging that non-government agencies are to be allied in the efforts. The elevation of Education to 17.5 per cent of the budget with a commitment to increase that proportion by 50 per cent over five years is a recognition of a fundamental too long given somewhat short shrift. It is to be commended.
And finally, the recognition that some 160,000 youth are unemployed and must be brought into the productive loop through job creation and skill development, is implicitly the awareness that we better defuse that powder keg.
Geof Brown is an HRD consultant who lectures part-time at the University of the West Indies. E-Mail:
browngeof@hotmail.com
