LAST Wednesday, the ruling Jamaica Labour Party presented what it called its Achievements 2007-2011, ahead of tomorrow’s official presentation of its 2011 election manifesto. The Sunday Observer presents excerpts from this document.

In four years, despite the worst global economic crisis in modern times, we have delivered…

RE-DEVELOPMENT & TRANSFORMATION

Transformation of eight informal settlements into proud safe communities providing 15,000 to 20,000 residents with:

* upgrading infrastructure

* land titling assistance,

* training and employment

Now taking place in St James — Flanker, Norwood section H, Lilliput, Grange Pen, Red Ground; In Shaw Park Heights, St Ann; In Boscobel, St Mary, and in Hague (‘Dump’ relocation), Trelawny

GOVERNANCE

* Full review of Access to Information Act, empowering the Jamaican public and facilitating greater accountability of public officials. Official Secrets Act to be repealed and replaced with modern, balanced law.

* Whistleblower Act passed; INDECOM created and in operation; Special Prosecutor Bill being debated and Defamation Bill tabled in Parliament after extensive consultations.

* Unprecedented transparency in Parliament — Establishment of Public Administration and Appropriations Committee chaired by an Opposition member, and appointment of Opposition members to chair other important Standing Committees of the House of Representatives. Also created Office of the Leader of the Opposition with resources provided.

* Conducted a complete review of public sector by new Public Sector Transformation Unit and plan tabled for rationalising and improving the public sector. Implementation has already begun — eg Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Housing, Environment Water and Local Government.

* Created the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to dilute the tribal nature of Jamaican politics providing millions of dollars for constituency development regardless of political representation. Approx. J$4B spent to date on developmental projects approved by a Parliamentary Committee.

* Launched new National Identification Programme (NIDS) to provide each and every Jamaican with an identification card.

FINANCE

* JDX — Saving the country J$31b per year in interest charges and extending the debt payment period. Recognised globally as the world’s most successful debt swap.

* Saved taxpayers millions of dollars by divesting loss-making state-owned agencies, simultaneously attracting millions of US$ worth of investment.

* Annual savings of US$250-300 million on Air Jamaica, sugar estates, Clarendon Alumina Production. These figures do not include legacy costs, eg Air Jamaica’s legacy costs were approx the same as the IMF loan — US$1.3 billion

* Lowest interest rates in 30 years, bringing down commercial loan rates for businesses, and putting home ownership within the reach of more Jamaicans.

* Strengthened and stabilised the Jamaican dollar.

* Single-digit inflation despite effects of global recession.

* Lowered income tax for the lowest wage earners (increased income tax threshold thereby removing income tax for some, and reducing it for others).

* Reduced Transfer Tax and Stamp Duty on land and on re-financed mortgages to lower the cost of buying land.

* Reduced Transfer Tax and Stamp Duty on estates so families can get access to property left by their parents and grand-parents.

* New Junior Stock Exchange supports growth of small businesses so they can employ more Jamaicans and increase productivity.

* Passed legislation to provide for licensed Casino Gaming — attracting value-added investments to Jamaica and diversifying our tourism product.

INDUSTRY, INVESTMENT, COMMERCE & TELECOMS

* Created 28,200 new jobs through Jampro’s facilitation of investments valued at J$85 billion.

* Foreign Direct Investment of US$3 billion.

* Protected farmers from the global crisis and supported growth in agriculture by stabilising local fertiliser price.

* Instituted a food subsidy policy to cushion the impact of the global food crisis.

* Halted billions of dollars in losses of equipment and infrastructure caused by the scrap metal trade.

* We can now export Jamaican patties to Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, our rum to Belize and our cement to the Dominican Republic.

* Established Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) to provide accreditation services locally.

* Signed contract with Convergys — one of the world’s largest Business Processing Operations (BPO) companies. They will create at least 1,000 jobs and will start operations in 2012.

* New islandwide broadband wide area network being constructed to bring iInternet connectivity to Jamaican schools across the island.

* Provided funding for many e-learning projects through the Universal Access Fund, enhancing the quality of education through ICT.

* The design of GOVNET — a government network which will create increased efficiency through effective use of technology.

* New Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) to ensure the protection of Jamaica’s Internet infrastructure by co-ordinating a defence against and responding to cyber attacks.

* Draft Telecomms (Amendment) Act tabled in Parliament. It will strengthen the OUR and SMA to ensure better and stronger regulation.

EDUCATION

* Abolition of cost-sharing up to the secondary level so that all of our children can go to school.

* In 2010, achieved highest number of passes in CSEC English and Math in 11 years.

* 11,495 new spaces created across basic, infant and primary schools and at the secondary school level.

* Safer schools and safer children through new Safety and Security Policy and Guidelines.

* Introduction of the Career Advancement Programme (CAP) which is now in 78 institutions across the island. Over 12,000 students aged 16-18 years old currently enrolled.

* National Parenting Support Policy developed and National Parenting Support Strategy implemented to improve parenting and give children a better start in life. Seven pilot parent information centres launched.

* National Strategic Plan for early childhood development implemented to improve the quality of health care, service delivery, teaching and parenting at the early childhood level.

* New early childhood curriculum developed and being implemented with teacher training and supervisory support.

* Introduction of technology to assist in the delivery of curricula, teacher training support, registration of students generally and identification of those with special needs as well as to support the work of the National Education Inspectorate.

* Improving literacy and numeracy through the:

* National Comprehensive Literacy Strategy introduced with requisite training, teaching materials and assessment tools.

* Enrichment Centre Programme — enabling early identification and referral of children with special needs for support.

* Competency-Based Transition Policy and ASTEP programme ending automatic promotion and ensuring that all students are prepared to enter secondary school.

* National Inspectorate established to identify schools in need of support.

* Created schools as centres of excellence — rewarding excellence in leadership, parental participation, increasing efficiency and encouraging development at the secondary school level.

* Implemented ‘Child Find’ to identify all children 0-18 with special needs for assistance.

* New agencies, including the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC), the National Education Inspectorate. (NEI) and the National College of Educational Leadership (NCEL) created to improve the quality of the education system.

* National Education Trust (NET) established — dedicated fund for providing necessary education infrastructure to remove all schools from the shift system and reduce class sizes.

HEALTH CARE

* Abolition of user fees in public hospitals, giving all citizens access to primary health care and saving Jamaicans more than $8b (fees foregone for registration and services).

* More doctors and more nurses employed in the public sector (27 per cent and 18 per cent over 2007 respectively).

* 63 Health centres upgraded across the island (all 14 parishes).

* More than half-a-billion dollars spent on upgrading eight public hospitals including Kingston Public, Victoria Jubilee and Spanish Town.

* New Chemotherapy Unit and new Cardiology Unit at Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay.

* New dental facility built at Port Maria Hospital.

* New Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit at Port Antonio Hospital.

* Jamaica/Cuba Eye Care Centre opened at the St Josephs Hospital.

* Radiology Department established at the Noel Holmes Hospital.

* Physiotherapy Unit opened at the National Chest Hospital.

* Colposcopy, counselling and social services centre for Women established at the Spanish Town Hospital.