Andrew vs Portia

Delano Seiveright, Guest Columnist

As full-blown political campaigning spreads throughout the island, a number of national issues may very well get lost in the rough and tumble of the on-the-ground politicking process. The People's National Party (PNP) has already rolled out itslong-awaited Progressive  Agenda and its job initiative, the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP), both of which lack real substance and have failed to capture the imagination of the Jamaican people, much less the academia and the press.

The acronym JEEP, for instance, has already been renamed by some as "Just Empty Election Promises". Additionally, we have already seen where a  campaign of distraction from the real issues is at hand. It is indeed pathetic to see "independent" political commentator-turned-PNP candidate lloyd B. smith, in true "Willie Lynch" style, attempting to divide the Jamaican populace based on skin complexion, among ridiculous attempts by other PNP officials and their phalanx of surrogates in media and civil society to distract fro substantive issues. the PNP's long successful art of emotive demonisation politics continues unabated.

It is for these reasons why coming national debates on substantive national issues by both parties' leaders and spokespersons are so vital. There is much-needed space for vigorous policy debate on the major issues of our time, including the economy, education, health, national security, transport, works, energy, tourism, youth development and governance reforms.

ADVERSARIAL POLITICS

Jamaicans certainly deserve in this extraordinarily difficult and uncertain local and international economic climate to get first-hand accounts of the policies and counterpolicies, plans and programmes by both major parties. Many members of both parties have an interest in seeing Jamaica progress and prosper, and they should be heard. While there are some reasoned policy differences, the adversarial nature of Western liberal democratic politics and an ultra fast-paced competitive and sensational media environment often cause reason to be discarded in the relentless pursuit to score political points. This 21st-century adversarial style serves the interest of preserving our democracy quite well, but promulgates a permanent campaign of discordance that, in our case, ultimately stymies growth and development.

I still find it balefully duplicitous for both opposition candidates and some civil-society figures to discuss crucial national issues with not even passing reference to the biggest global economic crisis in 80 years (in 2008) that continues to have a damaging effect on Jamaica's economy since. This is coupled with inheriting more than 18 consecutive years of lacklustre economic growth rates and a general state of social malaise from previous PNP administrations.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, in his May 10 Budget presentation noting the impact of the global economic crisis, pointed out, "Since the start of the recession, we have lost US$2.7 billion in export earnings, J$16.5 billion in bauxite revenue and J$5.7 billion in GCT." The prime minister went on to state, "This is not fantasy, it is our reality! It is the burden we carry when we sit at the bargaining table with public-sector workers who demand wage increases; it is the burden we carry when we try to pacify citizens protesting against bad roads or lack of water; it is the burden we carry when we are called on to roll back taxes."

If that reality is not addressed in national debate and commentary by the Opposition and some members of civil society, that skewed view must be exposed for what it is: intellectual dishonesty and short-term destructive politics.

LEADER FACE-OFF

The most anticipated national debate will be between incoming JLP leader and Prime Minister Andrew Holness and PNP President and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller. All of us have a duty to ensure that no skilful dodging of the debate ever happens. Simpson Miller strategists have done a reasonably good job at keeping her away from public settings that will have her, on her own, answer questions. In the meantime, Holness' record of performance, despite an economic crisis and a subsequent tight fiscal environment, is reflective of other members of the administration and puts him in good stead for an enthralling national debate.

Some of Holness' hallmark achievements include:

• Tuition-free education up to the secondary level. This policy initiative, though imperfect, is a major plus for the administration.
• Notable increases in the number of high-school leavers qualifying to matriculate to tertiary institutions, passing four or more CSEC subjects.
• Major reforms at the Students' Loan Bureau, with a 25 per cent reduction in interest rate, moving from 12 per cent to nine per cent; a longer repayment period moving from 10 to 15 years; and a huge reduction in insurance premiums.
• The Career Advancement Programme, which was introduced last year to ensure all school leavers are literate, numerate and have vocational or technical qualifications. Already more than 9,000 students are enrolled. This programme dramatically improves job readiness for our students and thousands more are targeted for this academic year.
• The Alternative Secondary Transitional Education Programme, where more than 6,000 primary-school students who failed in several attempts to achieve mastery in the Grade Four Literacy Test will be placed in special classes to improve their literacy standards.
• Public-sector teachers receiving the largest salary increase in 2008 after the adjustment to 80 per cent of market.
• The modernisation of the Ministry of Education.
• The restructuring of the school-board appointment process
• The development of a National Parenting Support Policy.
• Transforming the role of tech-nical education through the mainstreaming and repositioning of HEART Trust/NTA and NCTVET to create polytechnic/workforce colleges.
• A record almost 100,000 Jamaicans certified under the National Vocational Qualifications during his tenure.

PORTIA'S FAILURES

Simpson Miller, on the other hand, despite as much experience in representational politics as Holness' 39 years on earth, has far fewer substantive achievements than Holness' four years as a minister of government. Further yet, Simpson Miller hasn't faced up to the multiplicity of scandals occurring under her leadership in varying capacities as a long-time Cabinet minister of failed PNP administrations stretching from 1989-2006 and prime minister for a year and half between 2006 and 2007. In most recent times, these include:

• A terribly neglected constituency of South West St Andrew, despite being a member of parliament since 1976.
• The infamous Trafigura Beheer scandal.
• The $2-billion National Solid Waste Management Authority drama.
• A multimillion-dollar fraud scandal at the Jamaica Tourist Board's New York City office.
• The cement crisis.
• Sandals Whitehouse scandal.
• The Cuban light bulb scandal.
• Massive mismanagement and waste at the Jamaica Urban Transit Company.
• The Cricket World Cup Cricket financial disaster, among several others.

The series of corruption, mismanagement and profligacy scandals should, in any properly functioning democracy, disqualify Simpson Miller from leadership of anything. Further yet, despite winning her party's internal election in February 2006, she mustered less than half the PNP delegate vote. After a challenge to her presidency in 2008, she attained a little more than half the vote. Dr Peter Phillips, K.D. Knight and a long list of PNP aficionados have on many occasions in the public domain expressed serious concerns about Simpson Miller's capacity to lead. Her lacklustre performance in PNP internal races indicates the broad reach of these concerns within her own party.

FRUSTRATION AND REALITY

Sadly, the very real and tough economic, and more so fiscal, circumstances are unfortunate not only for the Government but also for our people. On one hand, it has severely constrained Government's ability to function as effectively as it could, while arresting the potential for more meaningful growth and development that will create jobs for the legions of unemployed youths.

The situation in Jamaica is part and parcel of a global one of varying scales. In many countries, violent demonstrations have led to the fall of governments; Jamaica has avoided that because of good and level-headed management. The PNP, like any Opposition wanting to win, is seeking to exploit the unfortunate circumstances while seeking to drive public attention away from the many game-changing successes and groundwork laid by Prime Minister Bruce Golding and his colleagues over the last four years.

We must, therefore, exercise tremendous patience and implore others to think rationally, as the hard work will pay off.

Delano Seiveright is president of Generation 2000, the young-professional affiliate of the JLP. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.