Delroy Chuck
"THE ROAD to hell," it is oftentimes said, "is paved with good inten-tions." While leaders must keep hope alive, they must do so with a record of performance and achievements instead of peddling visions, dreams and vain intentions. The present People's National Party (PNP) adminis-tration has an outstanding record of spin-doctoring, supreme public relations and a plethora of promises to win elections, and seems destined to repeat the same, as it plans for the fifth term.
Politically, the moment belongs to Portia Simpson Miller who triumphed over the Solid as a Rock team led by the main organisers of the PNP machinery. This column congratulates Portia and her team for a well-deserved victory. In truth, it was a victory of hope over the arrogance and class and gender bias within the PNP.
Yet, we must not lose sight of the simple fact that Portia has always been a vice-president, senior minister and an integral part of the present administration that has governed the country for over 17 years. Listening to her, and her three defeated presidential contenders, it sounded as if they were starting all over again and had nothing to do with the present failed and bankrupt administration.
REMEMBER THE PROMISES
Lest we forget, we should remind ourselves of some of the many promises and good intentions of the PNP. In 1988-9, the PNP campaigned on a slogan of 'We put people first' and elevated education as its top priority. Jamaicans were promised the best education facilities, access and resources. What is the reality? Currently, more than 70 per cent of our high school graduates leave school without proper certification and many are illiterate and innumerate. Many school children cannot even afford to pay school fees, and even the qualified cannot continue on to tertiary institutions, as the Students' Loan Bureau and the govern-ment are broke.
For the 1993 general elections, the PNP promised the people an economic take-off, but for the rest of the '90s, it was nothing but economic misery and the collapse of hundreds of businesses. For the 1997 elections, the government unveiled its National Industrial Plan that would generate six per cent growth annually for ten years, but during that period the economy did not grow six per cent cumulatively.
For the 2002 elections, a massive public relations job was mounted on the illusions of solid achievements and don't stop the progress. We were promised pothole-free roads. Three years onwards, our roads are in their worst state.
No doubt, the people yearn for peace and prosperity and these will be promised in abundance shortly, even though the record over the past 17 years suggests nothing but increasing crime and violence and more poverty and debt. Still, an unthinking people will fall for nice phrases, catchy slogans and the vain promises of a better tomorrow without examining a leader's record of achievement, or the road map to achieve a brighter future.
PORTIA'S TASK
Well, Portia must soon stand up and demonstrate that she can go beyond the grandiose promises and show from day one that she is a strong and decisive leader that gets things done. Moreover, she will, and should, be judged on her performance rather than her easily crafted good intentions.
In a major policy speech, dubbed Portia's vision and plans, in Montego Bay on Wednesday, February 8, Portia outlined her dreams of economic development and community prosperity. She noted: "I have repeatedly argued that if we can fix our communities, we can fix Jamaica. We have developed a seven-point programme to do this. One, we will address the problem of jobs and income generation to develop profitable businesses in communities. Two, we will ensure adequate social services, facilities and amenities in every community to support our entrepreneurial revolution over time. Three ..."
I had to stop reading. I couldn't believe my eyes! For over 32 years, Portia has been caretaker/ MP in SW St. Andrew and presided over the most depressed, deprived and decimated communities anywhere in Jamaica. In even one of her communities, did she go beyond good intentions and provided the promised adequate social services, facilities, amenities, jobs and profitable businesses?
Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Member of Parliament. He can be contacted by email at delchuck@hotmail.com.
