The Gleaner's Silver Pen awardee for September, Pepon Ruddock (right) accepts his commemoration plaque from Editor-in-Chief Garfield Grandison yesterday at the newspaper's North Street offices, downtown Kingston. - Ricardo Makyn/ Staff Photographer PEEVED BY what he described as the poor handling of the state of affairs in the country, Pepon Ruddock, The Gleaner's Silver Pen awardee for the month of September, said merely changing Jamaica to Republican status would not improve the poor social and economic situation.
Mr. Ruddock, a returning resident and businessman, was adjudged winner for his letter titled "Will republican status change anything?", published on September 25.
He was presented with his plaque of commemoration by The Gleaner's Editor-in-Chief Garfield Grandison at the newspaper's North Street offices, downtown Kingston, yesterday.
A certified engineer and father of eight children, said that the sores of the society are driving out businesses and preventing investments.
Citing his own personal experiences with his firm, the Silver Pen awardee said he has lost between $7 million and $10 million since setting up shop in 1985. And he is not only blaming this administration, but also the Opposition.
"I found that the business climate in Jamaica was a new learning curve for me. It was different from all the theories that you were taught. The playing field changed so often on you, economically and otherwise, that you don't know where you are," Mr. Ruddock said.
The worse thing about operating a business in Jamaica, said the returning resident, is that the policies of "Government or successive governments suck the life-blood out of any business before you even start." He pointed to the 'excessive duties' being charged at the ports of entry and the 'exorbitant taxes' imposed on businesses.
