Edmond Campbell, News Coordinator

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader, Bruce Golding (second left), with manifesto in hand, and his wife Lorna Golding (right), are surrounded by Audley Shaw (left), JLP Spokesman on Finance, and Dorothy Lightbourne, JLP Spokesperson on Legal Affairs. The occasion was yesterday's launch of the party's manifesto, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

LEADER OF the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Bruce Golding, yesterday unveiled a plethora of proposals in the party's manifesto to create a more business-friendly environment, targeting job-creating investments, chief among them being an offshore business centre to be located in downtown Kingston.

The manifesto also speaks to the establishment of a framework for good governance, as steps to transforming the country's economy over the next five years, should the party win the August 27 general election.

Speaking at the launch at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, Mr. Golding told the gathering that the JLP would draft legislation to establish Jamaica as an offshore financial centre and to redevelop Port Royal as a cruise shipping destination.

This, he said, would be tied in with the establishment of a freeport at Fort Augusta, a proposal made by former Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

Mr. Golding argued that there was a huge gap between Jamaica's potential and its performance and the recommendations being put on the table were intended to remove that disparity.

He said the manifesto was drafted within the context of the country's present state, which he said was characterised by a huge debt burden, high murder rate and low productivity with 76 per cent of the workforce being unskilled.

The JLP leader said the party would place emphasis on early childhood education and overtime increase theschool-leaving age from 16 to 18 years.

In terms of a business-friendly environment, Mr. Golding said the country must not only be ready for business but should be anxious about receiving new investors.

He reiterated the JLP's commitment to cut bureaucracy in the public sector by establishing a single agency to evaluate applications for business approvals with a 90-day approvals process.

"We want investors to know that Jamaica is the place, Jamaica is where you can invest and create jobs, where you can help us to grow our economy because without that we'll continue to struggle as we have," he said.

He said the JLP would create a powerful mega agency by merging Jamaica Invest (JAMPRO), the Development Bank of Jamaica and the Export Import Bank to help attract the major investments that would provide jobs locally.

With regard to the tourism sector, the JLP said it would be going after the higher-end markets and would be treating entertainment as an industry.

Turning to the problem of crime and violence Mr. Golding said there was no easy solution, pointing out that the JLP would strengthen the police force by increasing its investigative and forensic capability, among other areas.

"There is no silver bullet to deal with crime; it's going to be a tough call," he said.

The Commissioner of Police will be given increased autonomy to manage the force and to discipline members of the JCF who breach force rules and the law, under a JLP administration.

His proposal to offer free health care to every Jamaican, according to the JLP leader, would be financed by the National Health Fund.

A "strict ban" will be placed on squatting if the JLP forms the next government and the party also plans to take legislation to Parliament to amend the NHT Act preventing government from using NHT funds for any other purpose outside of its mandate to build houses for contributors.

Commenting on the country's libel and slander laws, Mr. Golding said the JLP would amend this piece of legislation as it served as a "firewall'to protect "scoundrels" who threatened to file libel action whenever reference is made to their wrongdoing.

"In amending that law we are going to require that persons who offer themselves for public service must be prepared to subject themselves to higher levels of scrutiny than the ordinary citizens of Jamaica," he said.

Mr. Golding also revisited the social partnership between government, the private sector and the unions, with each partner committing itself to specific obligations.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com