Read their lips

THIS YEAR'S Budget Debate has become a major attraction for the public, but for the wrong reasons. Principal one being, of course, that this is not about the Budget, as any lip reader can tell you from just watching the television. This is all about the next election, and the opening salvos are being fired across the aisle with reverberating effects all around the country as party affiliates begin to take up their positions in the trenches.

The largest single expenditure is said to be not in the Budget, yet is getting the greatest play. This supports the point that this exercise is not really about the Budget. The storm over the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Project (JDIP) is, of course, expected. At the risk of losing international investor confidence from those who provide loans or grants or financial support, we are in danger of tearing ourselves to shreds as we argue over the spoils. But if anybody thought that any self-respecting Opposition was going to allow the Government to have their way with this particular windfall, then guess again. Works Minister Mike Henry can say what he likes until he is blue in the face, the opposition People's National Party (PNP) is going to fight tooth and nail down to the last drop, as they fear that this could be the biggest election vote-catcher ever given to a party in power.

All about stardom

We fear that when the smoke clears, the Budget Debate will not be about stabilising the economy. It will amount to who got instant stardom, who scored the most points, and who earned the most news bites to take to the next political meeting.

When the debate is over, the Budget itself will emerge unscathed, untouched, and not likely to change even one iota. Audley Shaw opened with a well-crafted presentation, and is not likely to give any quarter that easily. Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller was at her best, making an impassioned and moving presentation on behalf of the poor.

Let us see where this one will take us. Mr Shaw's tax breaks and the promises of no new taxes came over as a winner. The Opposition has scored some good points, but have been hard-pressed to punch any damaging holes in the general path-forward plans proposed, except, of course, for the ubiquitous charge that the Budget lacks credibility, forgetting that every Budget presented by any Government very rarely proves credible.

It's not the arguments for, or those against, that will win the next election. Yes, the Opposition is hoping for more damage to come from the Dudus-Manatt enquiry reports. But the governing Jamaica Labour Party has its own key cards to play if they can manipulate them as smartly as the PNP.

Parade points

Budget excitement and scandals aside, it's going to be the performance of ministers and Opposition spokesmen that will determine the popular ratings on the political hit parade. Pound for pound, the Government has a good side with rated performers like Golding, Tufton, Holness, Henry and Bartlett in the ring.

In the other corner, Portia's invincible image as defender of the poor is going to prove awesome. But while the polls favour her, she still has the dilemma of how much rope she can allow Peter Phillips in terms of spokesman and articulator. She has to be careful, too, of how she allows her heavyweight K.D. Knight to perform in the court of public opinion. Methinks his carefully contrived mean-and-hungry look may not be the best public face of the party. Omar Davies and Phillip Paulwell will continue to score effectively in and out of the ring.

Speaking of poundage, shouldn't we be now considering weighing our parliamentarians before they go into office, and after they come out? I can think of some who have put on weight that could only have come from excess. A weighing-in ceremony may just be the thing to keep them from those lavish lifestyles and post-Budget parties. Weight has never been a problem at the prime ministerial level. Check Bruce's and Portia's waistline, and P.J.'s, if you can find one. Then look at the extra poundage around the waists of some of our journeymen, and you may yet find the answer as to where some of those funds go.

Lance Neita is a public relations and communications professional. Send comments to columns@gleanerjm.com or lanceneita@hotmail.com