Does the PM understand?

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Prime Minister Holness says that he understands the pain and grievances of protesters over road conditions and that what they must understand is that not all road needs can be remedied at the same time. The question is, though, whether he understands that it is his prioritising of big highways benefiting business class and middle-class road users that is hurting small farmers and small rural entrepreneurs. Priorities are as much the determinant of who gets served as the amount of funds available.

These farmers give Jamaica the food products needed by Jamaicans and by the agro-industrial sector, which must be encouraged and supported in order to reduce the current huge import bill. Small rural entrepreneurs are also providing much-needed employment.

The question then is whether the right balance has been struck, or whether there is not some bias that favours the bigger people over the smaller. Does Andrew understand this?

This balance goes across the entire economy. We see the social sector of nurses, doctors, teachers, police, healthcare workers of several categories suffering from deserved but neglected salary increases and overdue pension payments, while the priority is given to the physical infrastructure of roads, bridges, police buildings and military installations.

Has a fair and good balance been struck? What do you, the public, think? The answer would be no, if one were to judge from the protests.

Without this balance the divisions in the country are heightened and the unity that Jamaica needs to move forward is damaged.

HORACE LEVY