Dear Editor,
An announcement has been made that a US$350-million investment will take place in the Spanish Town area that will create some 10,000 jobs.
Now, while we all would dearly like to see this plan come to reality, I am not yet ready to join the congratulations bandwagon. Honestly, we have been down this road many times before.
The 10,000 jobs that are being promised would be a much welcomed gain for this country at this time, and especially for the Spanish Town area. It would go a very far way to reduce the high levels of unemployment in the area and outlying ones too. I am especially hopeful that the 2,500 high-end and good paying jobs that are being promised will go a far way to give many of our college and university graduates something to do at last.
However, while I do really want to believe that this will happen, I must say that I find myself unable to hold my breath for it. Remember the grand promises of thousands of jobs years ago, that we will see "very soon" being made by the industry minister in regards to the great logistics hub? Where are those jobs after all these years?
What about the promised relief from high energy costs made years ago? Outside of the fall in international energy prices, where is this relief?
Even the great Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) didn't drive very far. The thousands of jobs that that vehicle should have created turned out to be mostly odd and temporary manual work, which, by now, have mostly evaporated.
So, with all of these grand announcements of the past proving to be very little more than publicity stunts, I would caution the public to hold off on the applause and congratulations on this latest announcement until this particular plan becomes real. We must stop this habit of applauding grand speeches.
I have one more concern: the timing of these announcements. This announcement of the industrial complex and the massive hotel plan seem have come at a good time for the Government. Now while this will not matter if they really do come to past, I cannot help but wonder if they are really empty promises designed to win the next election. I really cannot help being so sceptical seeing what has happened in the past.
Anyway, we all look forward to these plans coming true. However, I will believe them when I see them.
Michael A. Dingwall
michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com
Believe it when you see it
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An announcement has been made that a US$350-million investment will take place in the Spanish Town area that will create some 10,000 jobs.
Now, while we all would dearly like to see this plan come to reality, I am not yet ready to join the congratulations bandwagon. Honestly, we have been down this road many times before.
The 10,000 jobs that are being promised would be a much welcomed gain for this country at this time, and especially for the Spanish Town area. It would go a very far way to reduce the high levels of unemployment in the area and outlying ones too. I am especially hopeful that the 2,500 high-end and good paying jobs that are being promised will go a far way to give many of our college and university graduates something to do at last.
However, while I do really want to believe that this will happen, I must say that I find myself unable to hold my breath for it. Remember the grand promises of thousands of jobs years ago, that we will see "very soon" being made by the industry minister in regards to the great logistics hub? Where are those jobs after all these years?
What about the promised relief from high energy costs made years ago? Outside of the fall in international energy prices, where is this relief?
Even the great Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) didn't drive very far. The thousands of jobs that that vehicle should have created turned out to be mostly odd and temporary manual work, which, by now, have mostly evaporated.
So, with all of these grand announcements of the past proving to be very little more than publicity stunts, I would caution the public to hold off on the applause and congratulations on this latest announcement until this particular plan becomes real. We must stop this habit of applauding grand speeches.
I have one more concern: the timing of these announcements. This announcement of the industrial complex and the massive hotel plan seem have come at a good time for the Government. Now while this will not matter if they really do come to past, I cannot help but wonder if they are really empty promises designed to win the next election. I really cannot help being so sceptical seeing what has happened in the past.
Anyway, we all look forward to these plans coming true. However, I will believe them when I see them.
Michael A. Dingwall
michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com
Believe it when you see it
-->