Questions about JEEP

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THERE IS no question that plans to create or facilitate jobs for Jamaicans are good for the country. However, when such plans are shrouded in secrecy and then sealed with deception, we cannot allow ourselves to simply accept them without question. This is why I am puzzled as to why you "make no comment about the underlying merit of the initiative that is in dispute".

Here is why I believe you may want to reassess your position on commenting:

1) Since the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) was announced in September 2011 until the release of the People's National Party (PNP) manifesto, there was little information surrounding the details of the initiative. Critical questions were left unanswered, including: 'What would these jobs entail?' 'What is the approximate cost?' 'How would oversight be provided?' Well, it is possible that these questions were never answered because, until a few days ago, hardly anyone asked!

2) Then the PNP manifesto was released, which revealed that the main source of funding for JEEP would be the reallocation of 25 per cent of the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) budget. Suddenly (yes, suddenly), we learn that JEEP will be funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. That alone justifies commenting on, or questioning the merit of the initiative. How is it that we are learning about a change in funding for this major plan a mere TWO days before its launch? Did any government official CONFIRM that the funding will NOT be coming from JDIP? What of the discussions with the Chinese?

3) At issue here is that the Government gave the impression that they had a solid plan. However, they actually relabelled a plan ALREADY in place. THEN, 'the unkindest cut of all' to the Jamaican people - the PNP did NOT inform the people that these plans were already in place, and they will be part of the JEEP initiative. Yes, there is nothing wrong with continuity (in the right direction). This is why there would have been no harm in the PNP stating at the announcement of the launch of the project that this initiative is grounded in an agreement signed on December 5 last year. So why didn't they?

For your paper - a respectable institution in Jamaican journalism - to support such a blatant show of deception without pressing for answers to such critical questions highlights why it will always be an uphill battle in holding our public officials accountable.

D. Williams

Toronto, Canada