It is very sickening that in a post-colonial country that is supposed to have some sort of independence, both Peter Phillips and Portia Simpson Miller are busy celebrating the plaudits from the IMF's Christine Lagarde, last year, and now Barack Obama -- according to Phillips's fertile imagination of Obama's reason for visiting.
Both seem oblivious of the ongoing sufferings of the electorate in Jamaica who voted them into power. The effective 50 per cent pay cut of public sector employees because they have been under wage freeze for the last five years; the underfunded hospitals, schools, and garbage disposal sites; the lack of employment opportunities all seem to be lost on them.
Passing IMF tests -- despite failing in tax collection, especially from companies -- seems to be their only goal. And this leads them to the perversion of borrowing yet again (albeit at lower interest rates) to keep repaying debt. Even when (if) the debt-GDP ratio drops to 100 per cent, there will still be no money for the people's business, whilst the wealthy foreign and local creditors smile all the way to the bank -- that's if they are not a bank already.
Peter and Portia are so strident in their adherence to commitments made to the IMF, yet have absolutely no care for the commitments made to the Jamaican people at the last election. It was the late Norman Girvan who suggested that the word 'independence' be re-written as' in-dependence', despite 52 years and counting.
Paul Ward
Campaign for Social & Economic Justice
Kingston 7
pgward72@gmail.com
In-dependence, not independence
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Both seem oblivious of the ongoing sufferings of the electorate in Jamaica who voted them into power. The effective 50 per cent pay cut of public sector employees because they have been under wage freeze for the last five years; the underfunded hospitals, schools, and garbage disposal sites; the lack of employment opportunities all seem to be lost on them.
Passing IMF tests -- despite failing in tax collection, especially from companies -- seems to be their only goal. And this leads them to the perversion of borrowing yet again (albeit at lower interest rates) to keep repaying debt. Even when (if) the debt-GDP ratio drops to 100 per cent, there will still be no money for the people's business, whilst the wealthy foreign and local creditors smile all the way to the bank -- that's if they are not a bank already.
Peter and Portia are so strident in their adherence to commitments made to the IMF, yet have absolutely no care for the commitments made to the Jamaican people at the last election. It was the late Norman Girvan who suggested that the word 'independence' be re-written as' in-dependence', despite 52 years and counting.
Paul Ward
Campaign for Social & Economic Justice
Kingston 7
pgward72@gmail.com
In-dependence, not independence
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