Heather - Robinson IN WHAT the Prime Minister described as being in the "spirit of promoting dialogue and discourse", P.J. Patterson presented a ministerial statement to Parliament on the post-Ivan plans of the Government of Jamaica on Tuesday of this week. Mr. Patterson's report followed a national broadcast on Sunday; several press briefings immediately after Ivan; and of course his call for the nation to prepare for Ivan from Wednesday, September 8.
This statement to Parliament came eleven days after Ivan had done severe damage, and with all the patience for which Job is best known, the Prime Minister carefully answered all questions posed to him by the Opposition Members of Parliament.
HURRICANE GILBERT
Gilbert damaged Jamaica on Monday September 12, 1988. At that time Jamaica was being governed by the JLP, who had 'won' its second term through the 1983 'bogus' election, which was not contested by the PNP. This hurriedly called election came after the invasion of Grenada by the United States, which action was supported by the Seaga-led JLP government.
However, by 1987 the PNP had handsomely won the Local Government elections. So when Mr. Seaga went to Parliament on Thursday October 6, 1988 to make his post-Gilbert ministerial statement there was no Opposition to ask any questions at the end of the presentation. This 'very special sitting' of the house was adjourned by the Speaker, Alva Ross, with the following words: "I would like to say, Mr. Prime Minister, that that was an excellent report and this country is fortunate to have you in charge at this time. The support from within and without has been the best in our country's interests and we could almost say, "Mission accomplished"."
Let us now look at the accomplishment of the mission to which Mr. Ross referred. Mr. Seaga spoke to Parliament 24 days after Gilbert, having previously utilised the banquet hall of Jamaica House to store relief supplies for distribution from Jamaica House.
Mr. Seaga made no reference to the roads that had been cleared and open to traffic, opting instead to promise that road repairs would be completed "over the next three to six months", and some into the next financial year, 1989- 90".
History will recall that Mr. Seaga along with seven others formed the Opposition after the February 9, 1989 elections. Post-Ivan, 70 per cent of all blocked roads have been cleared, and are open to traffic. After every disastrous hurricane, the loudest noise is made for water and electricity.
Twenty-four days after Gilbert, Mr. Seaga reported that "60 per cent of the island's water supply has already been restored and a further 30 per cent is now being dealt with". The NWC 11 days after Ivan reports that 80 per cent of its production capacity is operational. Mr. Seaga gave an update on the restoration of electricity, citing Kingston as being 40 per cent, Montego Bay 70 per cent, Ocho Rios 80 per cent.
The JPSCO reported that on Tuesday electricity has been restored to 87 per cent of Kingston and Montego Bay and 82 per cent of Ocho Rios. Sixty eight per cent of its customers islandwide have had their electricity restored and the JPSCo projects that in another three weeks, 90 per cent restoration will be completed.
ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE
Listening to the number of questions from the vast majority of the Opposition MPs present on Tuesday, one developed the view that it was not so much what was being asked that was the problem, but rather what they all wanted to ask but were reluctant to ask. MPs received an allocation of $100,000 each from the Social and Economic Support Programme before Ivan.
Perhaps if they had all invested the allocation into the purchase of bottled water for their constituents, they would not have been so hot on Tuesday.
'PASA PASA'
From where I sat in the gallery on Tuesday it appeared to me that the Opposition MPs came to Parliament hoping that the Minister of Finance would have improved on that SESP allocation 100, 200 or 300-fold. Luckily their leader Mr. Seaga ended that discussion before it deteriorated into real 'pasa pasa'.
Those of us who have had the experience of both Gilbert and Ivan are best able to compare and contrast leadership styles and the government's response to restoring our country. Those who have experienced a hurricane for the first time should be researching what is happening in Haiti, Grenada, the Cayman Islands and the southern USA, as it is now.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament.
