By Robert Hart, Staff ReporterKARL SAMUDA, Opposition spokesman on Trade and Tourism, has blasted the Government for withholding the 'true state' of Jamaica's competitiveness within the international economic market.
Speaking Wednesday during his 2003/2004 Sectoral Debate presentation, Mr. Samuda criticised Minister of Development, Dr. Paul Robertson, for what he considered the inadequacy of the latter's opening Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 15.
Mr. Samuda made reference to the Development Minister's revelation that the World Economic Forum's 2001-2002 report ranked Jamaica 60th in growth competitiveness. This was on an 80-country index where the United States was ranked at the top and Haiti at the bottom.
"He is perfectly right Mr. Speaker. But what the Minister did not say, however, is that this was a drop from 52nd in 2001 while Trinidad moved up from 38 to 37," said Mr. Samuda.
Mr. Samuda also pointed out that Jamaica ranked 74th on the Macroeconomic Index while Haiti ranked six spots higher, at 68th. Trinidad and Tobago ranked 25th.
"He also never told us that in the same report in terms of Macroeconomic stability we ranked 64th while Trinidad and Tobago ranked 29th," he added.
Mr. Samuda, amidst hisses and boos from the governing People's National Party's backbenchers, also revealed that Jamaica ranks 70th in credit rating. "Only 10 out of 80 countries ranked lower than Jamaica on credit rating," he said.
Mr. Samuda was the final speaker before the usual summer recess. The Sectoral Debate will resume after the Emancipation and Independence festivities.
