Delroy Chuck

A CALM reflection on Jamaica's state of affairs will reveal the desperate need for an economic rescue and recovery plan. Jamaica's economy is in a mess. It has not grown by one per cent annually for the past 15 years. It urgently needs stimulation and development to grow by five or six per cent annually, simply to start the process of recovery and progress. Yet, the present People's National Party (PNP) administration has successfully convinced an unthinking populace to log on to progress in 1997, not to stop the progress in 2002 and, probably in 2007, to continue to believe there is progress.

After 18 years, the PNP will try to persuade the nation that it needs another term to turn the economy around and carry on its mandate of helping the poor. For the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and in fact the nation, it is time to demonstrate to the people that the present PNP leadership has nothing new to stimulate the economy and relieve the suffering of the poor. Indeed, another term under the PNP will further sink the poor, sick and vulnerable, as the economy continues to transfer wealth from the poor to the rich.

To begin, when one listens and re-reads the Throne speeches of last year and this year, they are quite similar, which reveals that old, worn-out, stale ideas are being recycled and, even under new leadership, it is the same moribund PNP Government. When one turns to the budget estimates, it is an election budget and there is nothing innovative to stimulate businesses, attract investment and promote development, and to lift the economy from its present stagnant and lifeless shape. What the budget reveals is another spending, 'run wid it', spree on roads and gullies. Nothing constructive will be done, the roads will be poorly repaired and rehabilitated and the gullies will be hastily and inadequately cleaned, which means the money will be foolishly wasted.

Dj vu again?

Soon, and after the people complain for years about bad roads, the government election machinery will have contractors on the roads digging, fixing and promising to repair every bad road as it leads up to an election. It will be dj vu again, a la North East St. Ann, when in a desperate attempt to retain the seat in 2001, the Government sent front-end loaders, dumper trucks, heavy rollers, water pipes, etc., to start road work. When it lost the election, by the very next day, the equipment and workers headed back to Kingston, the work stopped and even the water pipes were removed. The same happened in 2002.

Don't stop the spending

In February 2002, the JLP was ahead in the polls. Nothing was going on. In June 2002, the then Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson, in Parliament, spoke of so many contracts that enough contractors could not be found to carry out the work. By October, every genetically connected contractor was running 'wid it' and, soon after, the election was called, which the PNP won on the slogan 'don't stop the progress', which really meant don't stop the spending. But, the spending did stop and even the PNP diehards recognised that they were conned, and by June 2003, the PNP lost favour and the local government election.

Now, with bad, dilapidated and dangerous roads, bridges and gullies being major issues, the Government promises to spend over $9 billion, which is desperately needed, but will it be prudently and effectively spent? Then, this year alone, $102 billion will be spent on interest payments to the rich and to the denial of the poor - by a government allegedly of the poor. Since 2000, over $500 billion, or half a trillion, have been paid in interest on our debt servicing. Where are the plans, the vision and the new beginning to extricate Jamaica from this spiralling debt burden and the prolonged deprivation of the poor and forgotten in our midst? It is certainly not in this year's election budget.