By Lynford Simpson, News Editor
THE GOVERNMENT last Tuesday stopped just short of admitting that it was having difficulty funding its ambitious road work programme, the effects of which will be felt down the road when the money, a significant portion of which is being expended under the deferred financing programme, is brought on to the Budget.
Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport and Works, told the House of Representatives that more than 100 contractors across the island were owed nearly $500 million for work done. At least six projects have been suspended as a result and unless payments are made soon, road work across the island could grind to a halt. So far, the parishes of Portland, St. Thomas, St. Mary and Westmoreland have been affected and indications are that many contractors are barely limping along.
If the situation is exacerbated, it would be a severe blow to Pickersgill, a Minister who has always been seen as a non-performing member of the Cabinet. Forget that the money would have to be approved by the Ministry of Finance. With just eight weeks left in the year, he will not keep his promise to make our highways void of potholes. Remember the slogan "Pothole free by 2003"? Some said he meant all roads but he clarified that position to include only major roadways.
But even that is a major challenge, especially with the frequent rainfall in recent weeks, and the usual poor quality of work that is done. As soon as repairs are completed, potholes reappear. I would suggest to the Minister that he uses Government's inability to pay as an excuse to get rid of those contractors who are no good. We just cannot go on pouring taxpayers money into these potholes.
Having already spent $10 billion on its roadwork programme, the Government is now struggling to find more. I'm not sure the programme of deferred financing is sustainable over the long-term as there has to be a limit of how much you can bring on to the budget and when. How will this money be repaid? And are we getting value for money when so much of the work appears to be second rate?
POLICE SHOOTINGS
Last week, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson warned trigger-happy policemen who have figured in too many controversial killings that it will not be business as usual that despite the high levels of crime their approach to crime fighting which leaves innocent people dead, will no longer be tolerated.
His comments came against the background of the fatal shooting of two elderly men by police in Flankers, St. James, two Saturdays ago. What is being termed as an "accidental" shooting reportedly took place when a police party engaged alleged gunmen in a shoot-out. When the dust cleared, a taxi operator and newspaper vendor, both over 60 years old, lay dead, and a woman shot and injured. The alleged gunmen made good their escape.
I understand the environment in which the police work, Jamaica being in the unenviable position of having one of the world's worst crime rate and all averaging over 1,000 murders per year and we are not fighting a civil war! Added to that are police killings which, despite being on the decline, average around 140 per year.
The image of the country has constantly taken a beating as a result of these two scenarios. Human rights groups like Amnesty International have often accused the local police of carrying out extra-judicial killings. If indeed these take place, and some of the evidence suggest that these do take place, then officers involved should be brought to book. Despite the urgent need to get on top of crime, especially violent crime, in particular murder, care must be taken that not one innocent life is lost. After all, as citizens of this country, we cannot be living in fear of both the gunman and the police.
My only comments on what the Prime Minister has said is that he should have said so long ago. For far too long he has remained silent while such controversial shootings take place. Too much injustice has been meted out to the citizenry by those who swear to protect us.
Last week, both Police Commissioner Francis Forbes and Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips had a hard time appeasing the people of Flankers, who rioted for two days, almost bringing the tourist resort to its knees. The unfolding scenario was captured by the foreign media. With Britain issuing a travel advisory for its nationals to exercise care in travelling to Jamaica, the long-term effects of the latest police shootings to the tourism product and, perhaps more importantly, the relationship between the citizenry and the police are at the moment unknown.
E-mail comments to lynford.simpson@gleanerjm.com
