The Honourable Clive Mullings got it wrong when he revealed (in the manner and form) to Parliament and, by extension, the country that the JPS owes the Government $5.7 billion, $2.9 billion of which is now due. Far from coming to the defence of the JPS, I am merely opining that Minister Mullings needs to remember that just over a year ago the JLP formed the GOVERNMENT (emphasis supplied). This sort of sensational and dramatic revelation in the House is more consonant with the role of Her Majesty's loyal Opposition. Furthermore, it made it patently clear that he was being reactive, as opposed to proactive, in his supervisory role.

It is my considered opinion that the minister was prompted to make the announcement because of his own weaknesses in managing the JPS imbroglio. For weeks, customers of the JPS have been asking, "How Come?", and, Minister Mullings, to our knowledge, did not initiate any action to investigate the legitimacy of customers' grouse or the stance of the JPS management despite the fact that the Government of Jamaica is a 25 per cent shareholder in the company. It was only after Prime Minister Bruce Golding intervened and ordered a probe did Mr Mullings become vocal.

I find this rather surprising since the minister's portfolio responsibilities were reduced to one earlier this year. In other words, the energy portfolio should be his only concern at this time. In fairness to the minister, he may have been 'working behind the scenes, but this clearly was not yielding any results and besides, the minister is no political neophyte, the public must be made aware of progress (or rather lack of it).

I urge the minister to adopt a proactive and purposeful approach to his assigned ministerial responsibilities and be less reactionary and alarmist.

- Maximus C. McPherson, maximus.mcpherson@gmail.com, Faculty of Law,UWI, Via Go-Jamaica