How to keep Jamaica ‘lucky’
AS I watched the CNN report headlined “Christmas Miracle” last week, I wondered if we in Jamaica realise how blessed we are. In the last 10 days, we have seen new taxes, national outcry, drought broken, a plane crash with no loss of life, tax rollback. These are just the high notes against the constant hum of investments, crime, traffic mishaps, entertainment and sports.
Meanwhile, we are reading about scores of Europeans freezing to death in extreme weather, 50,000 Filipinos being evacuated from their homes as a volcano threatens to erupt and daily bombings in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. Somewhere between the ice and the fire is Jamaica, lauded by patriots and undermined by parasites of all stripes.
We are giving thanks for the miracle at Norman Manley Airport last Tuesday night involving an American Airlines flight. From all accounts, it could have been a huge tragedy. Additionally, at this delicate stage of the negotiations for the sale of Air Jamaica, we can imagine the repercussions if this incident had involved our national airline.
There are conflicting reports about airport emergency services, but the video at KPH showed a clean environment and passengers having their injuries treated. Patients were assisted at no less than four hospitals in Kingston, two public and two private. Had these passengers not been professionally cared for, we could have had late-breaking tragedies.
The plane crash moved the PNP protest marches from headline to subtext, but the marches were admirably done, peaceful and pointed. We heard the talk shows criticising the Opposition party’s moral authority to mount such a march, but we should be grateful that in our healthy democracy under the watchful eyes of our free press, we can express our dissatisfaction with government without fear of bullets or batons.
What are we hearing about our beleaguered Prime Minister Golding? Critics are saying that he is “too nice” or “too weak”, insisting on allowing government employees who were hired under the previous administration to remain in their jobs. Some also criticise him for ensuring that the Leader of the Opposition has proper offices, well-furnished and staffed, for the first time in Jamaica’s history.
Of course, the Golding administration was fairly criticised for their hurried announcement of the initially unbalanced tax package. It was a chastened Karl Samuda who admitted in a radio interview that “we goofed”. The behaviour of both Government and Opposition gives the media exciting fodder, but should also give our populace hope. Here is an engaged Opposition and an administration readily admitting to its faults and willing to do something about it quickly.
We saw Portia Simpson Miller braving the heat in Cross Roads to address an impressive crowd of protesters and we saw Prime Minister Golding a few hours later braving the glare of the cameras, to address the “loud and profound” response of the Jamaican people to the initial tax package.
“I want to commend the people of Jamaica because despite the strong opposition to the measures announced last Thursday, the country was not shut down; there has been no disruption; no violent demonstrations,” the prime minister said. “This government does not have to await an eruption to recognise that it has to change course.”
The revised tax package rescinds the previously announced GCT on basic food items and fresh fruits, vegetables and ground provisions, as well as sanitary napkins and disposable diapers. It combines increased taxes with incentives for tax compliance, refunding GCT on commercial electricity bills to GCT-compliant companies, as well as a five per cent advance GCT payment on imports, which may be deducted once GCT is paid over.
Small business owners who are constantly bombarded by all types of taxes will get no relief for providing well-needed employment. We are, however, grateful that the tax threshold has been lifted to $441,168 per annum for the good souls who toil along with us. We paid over the taxes now due on Christmas bonuses with heavy hearts – the biggest beneficiary of our bonus payment ended up being the taxman.
Those of us who have been able to emerge bruised but unbowed from the challenging year 2009 already know that the PM’s call is the only way to go for 2010: “We are going to work hard – extra hard – to overcome these problems and power our way forward.”
The unfortunate thing is that some people’s concept of work does not remotely bear any resemblance to the real thing. Those strident politicians leading marches, those in government now appealing for calm are all accountable to this nation for not upholding the dignity of work and the power of productivity. Their hunger for cheap adulation-cum-votes has wreaked havoc on our national well-being. Some have trucked squatters in the dead of night to pitch shanties, then armed them to defend their ill-gained “turf”. Some make wild promises of prosperity without demanding diligence. Some keep large sections of their constituencies beaten and beggarly.
Meanwhile, corporate Jamaica, service clubs and NGOs must keep shoring up this country, tiptoeing among the very politicians who have laid the shaky foundation on which the nation is trying to find a footing. Now that we are accepting these new measures, we renew the call made by anthropologist Dr Herbert Gayle that the Constituency Development Fund be taken out of the hands of politicians and administered by an independent, transparent agency.
Jamaica would never have reached this sorry pass if we had been subject to better governance throughout the years. Let us the taxpayers use our power as the funders of this new package to ensure that our politicians do not play fast and loose with our children’s birthright. The year 2010 cannot be one of productivity, without being the year of accountability for our leaders, JLP and PNP alike. We have been very lucky this year but let us not fool ourselves – the harder and more honestly we work, the “luckier” we will get.
Blessings of this Holy Season to all – see you in 2010!
lowriechin@aim.com
www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com