JAMAICA Labour Party (JLP) campaign spokesman, Daryl Vaz, says that the fundamental difference between his party and the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) on the economy is the question of growth.

Vaz says that while the PNP Government is willing to accept the promulgation of the Extended Fund Facility agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), without substantive growth, the JLP believes that growth is essential in carrying out the transformation.

“The PNP continues to pass IMF tests, while the JLP is committed to, while passing these tests, simultaneously growing the economy to create job opportunities,” Vaz told a JLP press briefing at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston last Thursday.

“And when I say job opportunities, I mean meaningful jobs. I do not mean JEEP (Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme) jobs, two-day ‘bolo’ work. I am talking about sustainable jobs,” he stated.

“Therefore, I want to indicate that, as part of the plan of our Government, based on the announcement of the leader of the Opposition of the creation of a ministry specific to that, one of the planks will be within the first 100 days in office to find all development investment applications that are in the government system. We will make sure that a desk is set up, at the highest ministerial level, to ferret out all of those applications and make definitive decisions with a view to freeing up the investors of this country,” he added.

Vaz said that in light of this position, it would be important that the JLP, as government, promote a business/investor-friendly environment.

He said that between 2007 and 2011 any businessman in Jamaica, large or small, who had an issue in relation to getting legitimates had a place to stop.

“We started the 90-day approval process and we are going to finish it because it has fallen by the wayside. I can say to Jamaica that this is a commitment of the JLP which you can hold me to,” he noted.