Dear Editor,
It appears that Jamaicans appreciate political gimmicks, because we don't hold administrations accountable for their failure to deliver promises, especially those relating to job creation.
At the most recent conference of the People's National Party (PNP), the prime minister made reference to a loan Jamaica received from the World Bank that will be used to train 15,000 animators. It has always been the view of this writer that Jamaica should train film-makers, animators and game developers. Luckily for us the World Bank had the foresight to spearhead the animation programme in Jamaica. However, like all sectors, it should be based on the forces of supply and demand.
Presently, there are less than 100 animators working on the island and a number of them have access to opportunities overseas, so we would expect that these talented youngsters would go abroad for opportunities. The demand for animators in Jamaica is not great, neither is the supply; only a few creative minds are interested in animation, and this is not a problem because what matters is the quality of our animators and not the quantity.
But this Administration seems to have a political reason for embracing the project. There is talk about using this initiative to target unattached young people, but it should cater to only those who are interested in animation; however, politicians like to maximise events for their own ends.
It really doesn't make any sense to go into random inner-city communities and find participants for the programme, if they lack interest and talent, just so it can be said that this Administration is doing something to help inner-city people. Inner -- city residents may lack opportunities, but the World Bank did not intend for this programme to become a social project; its sole purpose is to nurture the abilities of animators and nothing else.
Furthermore, some of us are quite au fait with the tricks of politicians. They are not idiots they know that there is not a demand for 15,000 animators, but the number must be exaggerated, because if the target is not met, then they can say 'we tried.' The numbers game has been going on for years. For those of us who don't remember, nearly 10 years ago this paper released a piece titled, 'CIT offers more training'. It read: "The Caribbean Institute of Technology was created with the goal of providing locals with world-class training, education, and international certification in software design and computer programming. It was part of the Government's failed thrust to provide 40,000 IT jobs over a three-year period."
Upon winning the general election in 2011, the Portia Simpson Miller-led Administration decided to launch another gimmick known as the Jamaica Employ Programme (JEP) in 2012, and it failed too. A news item, titled "Gov't shelves Jamaica Employ', published in the press on July 14 2014, clearly laments its failure: "Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced Jamaica Employ in 2012 and challenged the private sector to deepen the partnership for national development. Since then, the programme seemed to have been struggling. A year after the programme's inception, Trevor Fearon, CEO of the JCC, admitted...that Jamaica Employ 'has not taken off to the degree' that he would have liked."
Entrepreneurs don't create jobs based on social objectives, so no serious person expected JEP to work, but Jamaicans don't expect their politicians to perform, so at least they can say they tried.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Stop playing the numbers game and wasting funds
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It appears that Jamaicans appreciate political gimmicks, because we don't hold administrations accountable for their failure to deliver promises, especially those relating to job creation.
At the most recent conference of the People's National Party (PNP), the prime minister made reference to a loan Jamaica received from the World Bank that will be used to train 15,000 animators. It has always been the view of this writer that Jamaica should train film-makers, animators and game developers. Luckily for us the World Bank had the foresight to spearhead the animation programme in Jamaica. However, like all sectors, it should be based on the forces of supply and demand.
Presently, there are less than 100 animators working on the island and a number of them have access to opportunities overseas, so we would expect that these talented youngsters would go abroad for opportunities. The demand for animators in Jamaica is not great, neither is the supply; only a few creative minds are interested in animation, and this is not a problem because what matters is the quality of our animators and not the quantity.
But this Administration seems to have a political reason for embracing the project. There is talk about using this initiative to target unattached young people, but it should cater to only those who are interested in animation; however, politicians like to maximise events for their own ends.
It really doesn't make any sense to go into random inner-city communities and find participants for the programme, if they lack interest and talent, just so it can be said that this Administration is doing something to help inner-city people. Inner -- city residents may lack opportunities, but the World Bank did not intend for this programme to become a social project; its sole purpose is to nurture the abilities of animators and nothing else.
Furthermore, some of us are quite au fait with the tricks of politicians. They are not idiots they know that there is not a demand for 15,000 animators, but the number must be exaggerated, because if the target is not met, then they can say 'we tried.' The numbers game has been going on for years. For those of us who don't remember, nearly 10 years ago this paper released a piece titled, 'CIT offers more training'. It read: "The Caribbean Institute of Technology was created with the goal of providing locals with world-class training, education, and international certification in software design and computer programming. It was part of the Government's failed thrust to provide 40,000 IT jobs over a three-year period."
Upon winning the general election in 2011, the Portia Simpson Miller-led Administration decided to launch another gimmick known as the Jamaica Employ Programme (JEP) in 2012, and it failed too. A news item, titled "Gov't shelves Jamaica Employ', published in the press on July 14 2014, clearly laments its failure: "Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced Jamaica Employ in 2012 and challenged the private sector to deepen the partnership for national development. Since then, the programme seemed to have been struggling. A year after the programme's inception, Trevor Fearon, CEO of the JCC, admitted...that Jamaica Employ 'has not taken off to the degree' that he would have liked."
Entrepreneurs don't create jobs based on social objectives, so no serious person expected JEP to work, but Jamaicans don't expect their politicians to perform, so at least they can say they tried.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Stop playing the numbers game and wasting funds
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