Attorney-General A.J. Nicholson makes a presentation in the House of Parliament. - File On Friday Attorney-General Senator A.J. Nicholson opened the State of the Nation debate in the Senate. Below are exerpts of his presentation.
REFORMS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN TO LAY THE
FOUNDATION
The era of globalisation has ushered into our consciousness both new ways of thinking about national issues and new ways of approaching solutions to challenges that come upon us from without and from within our borders. There has been the requirement of a meaningful exercise of reforms to lay the foundations upon which a better quality of life may come to be enjoyed by our citizens.
REFORM OF THE ECONOMY
We have embarked upon the long road of the reform of the economy and the programme adopted for the reform of the financial sector has been acknowledged nationally and internationally. Perhaps, the most satisfying and meaningful endorsement has come from a recent business survey, published by the Jamaican Business Sector, that "Jamaica now has the foundation to begin growing".
That we have achieved some real measure of success is seen in the high levels of Net International Reserves and a single digit inflation rate for the past five consecutive years. These indicators, in particular, are important determinants of confidence in a country's economic and investment climate and they help to determine people's expectation of future stability.
ELECTORAL REFORM
It is beyond debate that this government has devoted more time, energy and resources than any other administration in our history to the creation of an electoral system that is transparent and fair to all of our citizens.
This Parliament has accepted the recommendations of the Constitutional Commission and the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional and Electoral Reform that our electoral system ought to be entrenched in our Constitution. With the extensive reforms that have been undertaken and completed since 1989, we are fast approaching the time when our Constitution may be amended to accommodate those recommendations.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
Our Constitution has been amended to simplify the provisions which speak to how Jamaican citizenship may be attained and to widen the category of persons who are so entitled.
The right of the citizen and groups with the required locus standi to approach the courts for redress in representative actions without the fiat of the Attorney-General has been established. The Office of the Public Defender, with powers far exceeding those of the Ombudsman, is now firmly in place.
REFORM OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE
By all accounts, this government has encouraged and facilitated the deepening of the democratic process by enabling the meaningful participation of our citizens in the process of governance. We have set in place a framework for the creation of Local Authorities with the vision, the capacity and the resource base which will allow our citizens to manage, effectively, an expanded range of local affairs.
REFORMS CONCERNING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION
The principal objective of this government has been, and continues to be, the improvement of the quality of governance that is offered to, and enjoyed by, the citizens of Jamaica. A seminal ingredient of good governance is the elimination, or at any rate the minimisation, of corruption.
Corruption is a threat to the rule of law and to the institutions that govern the national and international legal order. It undermines confidence in the democratic process; it creates inequities, in that, citizens who are able to bribe public officials have an advantage over those who are unwilling or unable. It deepens inefficiency in the delivery of goods and services; there is loss of revenues to the state and it adversely affects our ability to attract investment, particular from foreign sources.
INTEGRITY IN PUBLIC OFFICE
The Prime Minister has recently tabled, as a Ministry Paper, a Code of Conduct which all ministers of government are expected to abide. This Code of Conduct addresses a range of issues with the matter of corruption being specifically dealt with.
The government has undertaken a programme of Reform of the Public Sector and the Public Service Staff Orders are being revamped and should be completed shortly. The programme includes modernisation of a number of agencies. It aims to achieve improvements in efficiency and the quality of customer service which together contribute to reducing corruption.
THE FIVE CHALLENGES
OF GLOBALISATION
1. CONSENSUS ON CRITICAL AREAS OF POLICY
First, for Jamaica to make the best use of the opportunities presented by the doctrine of globalisation, it is my view that we are obliged to present to the world a concerted front on certain critical issues. I firmly believe that consensus must be arrived at on matters concerning the economic policy to be pursued, matters touching upon the security of our nation and the route that is to be taken in the field of education and training.
2. JAMAICA MUST ENTER INTO STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
Secondly, it must surely be beyond doubt that, as a consequence of our limited resources and our geographical location, among other things, Jamaica is compelled to form strategic economic alliances to find her way in the new globalised setting. Any leadership that hopes to succeed in Jamaica, at this point in time, is required to place squarely on the table their position in this regard.
We are now taking the definitive steps towards the establishment of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy and this must be the platform upon which we continue to negotiate under the EU/ACP Cotonou Agreement, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and the World Trade Organisation. All protocols concerning the Single Market are required to come into force by 2005 for the simple reason that, we should not become a part of the FTAA without the creation of a single CARICOM economic space. If we do otherwise, we run the risk that we might have to accord to Hemispheric countries' treatment that we are not yet even extending among ourselves.
3. PROTECTION OF OUR
NATIONAL SELF-INTEREST
AND IMAGE
Thirdly, in protecting our national self interest, whether concerning trade or any other initiative, we do well to bear constantly in mind that protecting our image, as a people, must drive us to new heights of tolerance and respect for each other. We are obliged to take the utmost care concerning how we speak to and about each other internally and how we project ourselves externally.
In my own view, we have a proper foundation on which to build, provided all persons in leadership positions and with access to the media take their responsibilities seriously. No one doubts that the freedom of expression enjoyed by the media in Jamaica places us among the most democratic countries on the planet.
4. SOLID PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CITIZEN
The burning question that must be answered, generally, is how do we arrive at that balance between addressing the burgeoning issues of terrorism that confront all nations and a strict and faithful adherence to the protection of the rights to which our citizens are entitled.
In judging our human rights record, a blinkered concentration on the rights of those who run afoul of the law and the abuses carried out by members of the security forces cannot serve the cause of protecting the rights of our citizens in a comprehensive and wholesome manner.
5. POSITIVE PROMOTION AND DIRECTION FOR THE CREATION OF GOOD PUBLIC ORDER
There must be provided direction, co-ordination, integration and monitoring of policies in the areas of public order, security and law enforcement. There must be the promotion of tolerance, social non-discrimination and the provision of ample, organised, concerted participation by citizens in the decision making process, leading citizens to assume their responsibilities and commitments in the search for social justice.
We are equipping ourselves to ride the waves of globalisation successfully and as agents of positive change in our land, this government has had the vision and the commitment to proceed to the next exciting phase of our development as a nation and as a people.
