Why I supported Audley Shaw
WHEN Mr Andrew Holness was selected as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) I was gushing with adolescent glee. I was extremely elated. Unfortunately my enthusiasm was premature.
By his performance, I think the party has put up a middleweight in a heavyweight fight. The Jamaican public needs someone who is going to be on their side; someone who will advocate on their behalf. Mr Holness has shirked this responsibility. From all indications, someone needs to inject a bit of testosterone into the JLP. Audley Shaw seems to be the ideal person, as he has the intellectual wattage.
Mr Holness needs to get thicker skin and a strong backbone. Preferably, a Bustamante backbone — some of us will remember the sweetie from the 1960s which were called the Bustamante backbone because they were so tough.
The present government has demonstrated their inability to get the Jamaican economy on the right track. Based on their policies any growth in the economy will be benign and nascent at best. Remember these are the same folks who lost 80 per cent of value of the Jamaican dollar. Moreover, they were only able to grow the economy 10 per cent since 1993. They have no clue about growing the economy. They have failed miserably in addressing this and other challenges facing Jamaica. Mr Holness sees nothing wrong with this. If he did he would be more eloquently expressing his disgust. We need someone with the vision and the understanding as to what it takes to stimulate the economy, reduce unemployment, develop a more productive workforce and significantly curtail crime. Mr Shaw has consistently illustrated that he has the acumen to make this a reality.
It would be nice if Mr Shaw had been more forceful in pointing out the draconian terms of the International Monetary Fund agreement. It has put a stranglehold on the country for a long time to come. There is nothing in this agreement which is going to stimulate growth and enhance job creation. Shaw, over to you.
The World Bank rates Jamaica 168 out 189 in the ease of collecting taxes. The people with money in Jamaica do not pay their fair share. It falls on the teachers, policeman, clerks, and others to bear the burden. Both Mr Holness and Mr Shaw still need to tell us how they plan to eliminate this inequity.
My major grouse with Mr Holness is that he refuses to hold the government accountable for the sorrowful state of the economy. Under the People’s National Party (PNP) the economy always goes into a spasm. They have brought Jamaica to the edge of the economic precipice, yet Holness neglects being the voice of the masses and demand solutions from our government. If you ask the people how many of them are better off under this government I am supremely confident you will only find a small minority. The majority of Jamaican wants a voice to establish itself as an alternative to this government. However, Mr Holness seems to be able to keep his countenance despite the actions of the PNP.
If the PNP had the chance to vote in the leadership contest they would havs all voted for Mr Holness. It is obvious to a blind man why the PNP wants Mr Holness to remain as the leader of the JLP. They seem to push him around like an empty paper bag. Mr Shaw would not allow this.
It would be nice if Mr Holness could find out from our beloved prime minister why she is taking so many overseas trips. She seem to average a monthly overseas trip. Let her justify these trips. The austerity imposed on the nation should be borne by all. At the same time, commendations are in order for both Ambassador Ralph Thomas and the PM on the last trip to China. It seemed to have been most productive.
One gets the impression that Minister Peter Bunting is the greatest crime fighter Jamaica ever had. To most Jamaicans Mr Bunting’s tenure has been an abject failure. Yet, Mr Holness wants to give the impression that he is doing a great job. Look at history, the only things that seem to go up under the PNP are crime, unemployment and blood pressure.
What about education? Has Minister Thwaites presented us with a plan as to how he is going to narrow the education gap between Singapore, Finland and Jamaica.
Why does Mr Holness allow the two ministers of propositions, Paulwell and Hylton, to get away with so much propaganda? How many of their proposals have come to fruition. Someone needs to remind them of all the many headline-grabbing announcements they have made but never implemented. They should be held accountable for these corrosive deceptions.
Every time Minister Davies gets up in Parliament Mr Holness and his team needs to gently remind him that under his stewardship the Jamaican dollar has lost approximately 80 per cent of its value and the economy had only grown by 10 per cent. Ask him how he would feel if his salary and net worth had only gone up 10 per cent since 1993. Someone needs to let him know that one of the most precious political commodities is credibility.
This is a government that rarely meets a deadline. If they could postpone Christmas they would. Yet we hear nothing from the Opposition leader. Mr Holness, you have to lead, the public expects you to.
Where is his voice on the constant postponement of the 360-megawatt project and the bad handling of the procurement process?
What Jamaica needs is not a Moses or Jeremiah. What we need is a David. Someone who is bold and courageous. Mr Shaw fits this bill. As Napoleon Bonaparte told us, a leader is dealer in hope. Jamaican does not want a leader who has low expectations for the country. We need to hear Holness’s vision. As the good book says: “where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverb 29: 18.
He obviously has accepted the Government’s low-growth policies. Where I am from, in Brown’s Hall, we are taught that silence means consent. Mr Holness’s silence tells us that he is in agreement with the way country is being run.
Holness seems to believe that he has some papal sense of entitlement with his supporters erecting flimsy theoretical scaffolding around his leadership.
If Mr Holness cannot handle his own party how can we expect him to deal with the PNP? I am convinced he is either intimidated by the PNP or he takes them for granted. Frankly, I am not too sure which is worse. He has spent too much time navel-gazing and leading from behind. He needs to expunge the guilt of losing the last two elections.
Does Mr. Holness know that the JLP does not have a website? Yes, there has not been a working one for the last nine months. I have personally brought this to the attention of the JLP headquarters staff.
Holness leads a house divided, a house disorganised, a house that should have been given a leader like Shaw.
— dlwarm2001@yahoo.com