THE EDITOR, Sir:
WE ALL recognise that at this time of the year all of us look forward to that extra bit of income to help meet our basic and additional expenses. While there are options for some income groups including our credit cards and savings, for our most vulnerable workers this is not the case.
In November the annual Christmas Work Programme was announced in Parliament by the Government. There would be allocations of up to $1.9 million to all Members of Parliament to be used to support special work programmes which would offer employment to the more vulnerable of our labour force.
The PNP's Northern Belt Task Force of the Corporate Area took the initiative to ensure that there would be some equity and minimum tension in our communities, all four PNP Constituency Chairpersons wrote to the sitting JLP Members of Parliament. North East; North West; North Central and West Rural St. Andrew.
The chairpersons requested a meeting with their respective MPs to discuss a mechanism which would ensure that all members of our communities, regardless of their political affiliation, have fair access to this allocation and that there is transparency. They further offered to inform the JLP MPs of how they would be spending their allocation of $75,000.
The Task Force initiative was further prompted by our involvement in the Peace Management Initiative in West Rural St. Andrew following the Temple Hall killings.
Kudos to Mr. Delroy Chuck, MP, North East St. Andrew, who within a day of receiving his letter responded positively. We have an agreement with him that he will match the $75,000 which the PNP chairperson is receiving and further that he will ensure that the jobs on all projects will be allocated on the basis of need. There is also agreement that work on all projects would begin at the same time to offset any tension.
The transformation of our politics is indeed possible.
I am, etc.,
MAUREEN WEBBER
Chairperson,
Northern Belt Task Force
Deputy General Secretary, PNP
