'Don't blame the JLP'
Published:Wednesday | May 11, 2011 | 12:00 AM
- Shaw says Portia, Davies unfair to point finger at Gov't
- Claims stagnant economy caused rise in Jamaica's poverty
Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer
GLENGOFFE, St Catherine:
MINISTER OF Finance and the Public Service Audley Shaw says it is "patently dishonest" of the leader of the Opposition, Portia Simpson Miller, and the Opposition spokesman on Finance, Dr Omar Davies, to suggest that his party is responsible for the rise in poverty in Jamaica.
"All over the world, because of the global economic crisis, the world is in crisis. Poverty levels have doubled to 14 per cent in the great United States of America. Even in this region, in Trinidad and Tobago, which has oil and natural gas, the level of poverty is 20 per cent. We don't have that. However, our poverty levels are similar to that of our regional counterparts in Trinidad as well," Shaw said.
Shaw, who was speaking at the annual conference of North East St Catherine at Glengoffe High School on Sunday, said he would be separating "fantasy from reality" when he addresses the nation today. He was responding to the claim by Simpson Miller, who, in her presentation to Parliament last week, noted that the Budget presented by Shaw signalled no hope for the Jamaican people, and would result in instability and lack of growth.
finsac collapse
But the finance minister cited the collapse of the Financial Sector Adjustment Company as a strain on the Jamaican economy, which impacted all kinds of people across the entire economic sector.
"We are talking about the collapse of more than 40 financial institutions. We are talking about the loss of more than 40,000 businesses. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of jobs that were lost as a result of the financial-sector meltdown," Shaw explained.
no growth with davies
According to Shaw, during his tenure as finance minister, Davies failed to grow the economy by even one per cent per year.
"All he could do was grow the economy by three per cent one year. When the Labour party was in power in the '60s and in the '80s, we grew by six per cent, seven per cent, eight per cent, in 1972 the economy grew by 121/2 per cent," Shaw outlined.
He added that economic growth brings with it increase in wealth and the creation of opportunities for the Jamaican people.
Shaw said the Government has pursued an aggressive strategy to implement programmes to address the poor. He cited the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education, the abolition of hospital user fees, and the abolitionof cost-sharing in education as tangible poverty-alleviation initiatives.