By Vernon Daley, Staff ReportPRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday warned Jamaicans to brace for serious consequences from the war in the Middle East, even as he showed scepticism over the United States use of military force to resolve the Iraq crisis.
In a statement to the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister said the effects of the war were uncertain but noted that it could have a devastating impact on the struggling Jamaican economy.
"We are concerned at the impact in the short, medium and long term on the supply and cost of food, energy and other essential inputs for the functioning of our productive sector and daily consumer activities," he said.
Today, the Ministry of Mining and Energy, along with other interests in the energy sector, will meet Mr. Patterson at Jamaica House to discuss the impact of the impending war on the steady supply of oil to the island.
The Prime Minister added that the Government would be following closely the possible fallout for the travel and tourism industries and the impact on other critical sectors such as agriculture.
According to the Prime Minister, the uncertainty surrounding the duration and severity of the war "would also erode confidence in the economy and wipe out anticipated gains from any investment".
He said the impact of the Middle East conflict could work its way right through the Jamaican economy, resulting in a worsening of the country's fiscal accounts.
In addition to the impact a war would have on the economy, the Prime Minister pointed to the security concerns for Jamaicans living here and abroad.
On the weekend the Government issued a travel advisory for Jamaicans in the Middle East. Overseas missions, including honorary consuls in the region, have been put on alert to provide support to Jamaican communities abroad.
The Prime Minister said steps were also being taken to strengthen the security at the country's ports of entry as fears grow that terrorist retaliations could arise from the US-led attack on Iraq.
"I call on all of us to be alert to the developments in the near term, to take steps necessary to preserve and conserve supplies of food and oil and to support the collective efforts to address a situation over which we have so little control," the Prime Minister said.
Making specific reference to the US decision to resort to military force to deal with the Iraqi crisis, Prime Minister Patterson left little doubt that his administration was not convinced that the case for war had been made.
"Given the important progress which the UN inspectors confirmed in their most recent report to the Security Council, we are not convinced that all diplomatic means to avert war have been exhausted, or that the recourse to the use of military force at this moment is the only way to achieve our final goal," he said.
The Prime Minister said the Government has always supported a peaceful resolution of the conflict, noting that Jamaica is committed to respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and security of all states.
