D.K. Duncan A GROWING lack of trust has been the dominant response to the recent actions of the present Administration. This has been compounded by a deep feeling of resentment.
Having "set the deck" of cards to facilitate an election victory in 2002, the Administration now laments that it is forced "to play the hand it was dealt". People see the record-breaking tax package in different ways. Some see it as a forced post-election contribution to remedy the People's National Party's actions leading up to the October 2002 General Elections.
There has been no hint of the acceptance of responsibility for the damage done to the national economy. To further fuel the resentment, no measures have been announced, symbolic or otherwise, to suggest that there is an understanding by the leaders that they should share in the sacrifices required.
Instead, the Prime Minister in the budget debate was devastatingly sanguine in the view that "we are going in the right direction". The Finance Minister, in closing the debate threatened us with the disaster associated with the consequences of not imposing the new taxes as if he takes no responsibility for creating the situation. All of this, while extolling us to "close this chapter of the debate and move on".
NEW TAX MEASURES
As the reality of the effect of the new tax measures including new property taxes become apparent over the next few months, the feeling that the Government is not to be trusted could lead to deeper frustrations, an increasing lack of morale and sustained anger.
There are a number of other matters arising as a result of the recent budget exercise. The Finance Minister's response to questions raised about the BOJ Governor's mansion is pathetic. Was there waste or not? If there was, then the Minister should admit it and act. Why do we need to "waste" more money to pay an accounting firm to verify the truth? Is this procrastination or is it just crass political one-upmanship? The public has already drawn its own conclusion.
The Prime Minister's lack of response in Parliament as to the status of the report on Consultants/Advisers/Special and Personal Assistants/Former MPs and Ministers employed to the Public Sector, etc. is nothing short of contempt for Parliament, the Opposition and the Public. More waste?
In addition, the Finance Minister needs to be constantly reminded to update us on the new Bicknell/Hylton Committee while urging them to remember that they can benefit from all the other committees before them, including the most recent the Orane and Moses Committees. He also needs to report on the progress of investigations police or otherwise into the waste incurred or alleged fraud committed at the NHDC through Operation PRIDE or elsewhere.
OVERSIGHT
Civil society and the media need to systematically monitor the progress of some of the parliamentary committees. Both sides of Parliament seem to have forgotten their own decision in 2001 that the Taxation Committee is to act before the fact of taxation as well as after.
By January 2004, the Finance Minister is required to call a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee (all MPs) to brief them on proposals for the 2004/5 Budget including broad areas and quantum of new taxation.
More immediately the Appropriations Committee must begin to prepare to monitor the implementing of the 2003/2004 Budget. They are to make a report to Parliament and the public at the end of the first quarter. Reporting dates should be made public as soon as possible.
As soon as he returns from Washington, the Finance Minister needs to report to Parliament and the public on the reason for and the results of his discussions with the IMF.
Several questions posed by the Opposition have been left unanswered by the Government. The Opposition needs to insist on answers.
GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRACY
The debate on the decision by the Government to withdraw the present constitutional right of a Jamaican citizen to appeal to the Privy Council should be widened. In his Budget presentation the Prime Minister stated - "I am convinced that we are being impeded by the absence of a genuine national consensus around critical national goals " The use of a simple parliamentary majority is not sufficient to take away this right if "genuine national consensus" is to be achieved. The people must be allowed to speak and vote on this issue. If the cost of a separate referendum is a factor, there is no good reason why this question cannot be put to the vote at the same time as the vote in the Local Government Elections.
The building of trust is essential to the task of achieving national consensus. We can no longer rely on what they say. Action speaks louder than words. One Love. One Heart.
A dental surgeon, Dr. D.K. Duncan is a former General Secretary and Government Minister in the PNP Administration of the 1970s.
