Portia's flights of fancy

Suzanne Leslie-Bailey, GUEST COLUMNIST

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has been coming under increasing pressure from the parliamentary Opposition and public for her frequent and unaccounted for overseas trips. As the Opposition Leader Andrew Holness has stated: "No one begrudges the prime minister!" It is simplistic to suggest that it is the 'green-eyed monster' of jealousy that is driving the piercing, but legitimate questions by Mr Holness to the prime minister regarding her overseas travels.

The parliamentary Opposition has a duty to the Jamaican people to hold the Government to account! To take offence at being probed, as the prime minister has, belies her own pronouncements in her inauguration speech on January 5, 2012, where she pledged to: "... present the facts to the Jamaican people ... and insist on accountability".

The opposition leader has acknowledged that the prime minister must travel. However, what the prime minister appears to be resisting is:

1) Her Government's responsibility for accountability and transparency to Parliament and the Jamaican people, by providing a timely, detailed and accurate report - highlighting costs and economic benefits to Jamaica, among other things, on every overseas trip, taken by herself and any other member or representative of the Government;

2) Sharing in the financial hardships of the Jamaican people during this time of financial austerity by exercising restraint.

I must refer to an article from CNN's Jack Cafferty dated July 21, 2010 titled 'British prime minister flies commercial to US, lesson for our politicians'. The salient point gleaned from the article is that the British government felt that if they are asking the country to "tighten their belts as much as (they) are, it's very hard to justify hiring big jets to swan around the world. It may make (the prime minister's) travel a little harder, but the prime minister believes it is up to him to set an example." We expect Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to lead by example!

Frugality is a concept that seems lost on this People's National Party (PNP) Government. The current insensitive and wasteful approach by the Government, regarding overseas travel, stands in stark contrast to a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration led by Bruce Golding and then Andrew Holness.

NECESSARY ASSESSMENT

Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding would have to approve every request for overseas travel by any government minister, oftentimes making an assessment as to whether the trip was necessary. Former National Security Minister Dwight Nelson recounted to me an occasion, when he submitted to Mr Golding a request for permission to attend a meeting at the United States of America (USA) State Department and was told in no uncertain terms by Mr Golding that it was only he, as prime minister, and Dr Kenneth Baugh, then deputy prime minister, were allowed to take personal assistants on overseas trips.

Mr Golding would also check with then House leader Andrew Holness regarding the agenda for Parliament in order to assess whether government ministers could be relieved of the people's business in order to proceed overseas. Andrew Holness himself, as former minister of education and then prime minister, restricted his overseas travel, in light of the global financial meltdown that wreaked havoc on Jamaica.

Prime Minister Simpson Miller finally came to Parliament with details of her Government's overseas travels. The prime minister reported to Parliament that over a two-year period, 2012 and 2013, she made 25 overseas trips - 10 in 2012 and 15 in 2013 - at a cost of approximately $45 million ($15 million being attributable to her and approximately $30 million to her delegation, and excluding security costs).

MOST EXPENSIVE TRIP

Of that amount, the most expensive trip was a $6.5-million seven-day trip to Ethiopia in May 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Union. Really? SMH!

In a time of severe financial hardships, could such an occasion really rank high on the list of priorities of a government with limited fiscal space? I know people will play the 'black race ace card', as the prime minister did - making emotive declarations about the importance of paying respect to our ancestors.

The prime minister feigned shock when Mr Holness questioned her as to the economic benefits that accrued to Jamaica from such a trip. Prime Minister Simpson Miller, it is bread-and-butter issues that we are concerned with! Jamaica just cannot afford the empty fluff and hype - please bring home the bacon!

The prime minister also reported that the total cost for overseas travel for government ministers and state ministers for the same two-year period is $117.8 million. Therefore, the calculated cost for overseas travel by the PNP Government for 2012 and 2013, based on the incomplete information given, is still a mind-boggling $162 million of taxpayers' money! What are the tangible economic benefits derived from such a costly expenditure?

As Jamaicans, we must not be distracted by the noise in the market, but be more interested in the sales!

Suzanne Leslie-Bailey is Jamaica Labour Party deputy spokesperson on tourism. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and svclb@msn.com.