Dear Editor,
The first year of the People's National Party's Administration is upon us and we are yet to see any fundamental change in the living conditions of the people of Jamaica.
The PNP returned to power with pledges of growing the economy and creating jobs. In fairness to the 'new' political Administration, the emergency employment programme called JEEP has served as a stop-gap scheme, but Jamaicans need long-term jobs, which seem far away on the horizon.
Much of what we saw under the Jamaica Labour Party Administration remains intact — poor road conditions, rising unemployment, crime hitting the roof, more people begging, indiscipline on the roads by taxi drivers and minibus operators, a lack of respect for Jamaicans by their countrymen, and a general decline in standards.
With an agreement involving the International Monetary Fund seemingly far away, the prospects for at least the early part of 2013 seem rather bleak. Without an IMF agreement, there is no way that Jamaican can convince the international money market that the country should get more money to borrow to assist with debt repayment and for capital development.
What good then can we expect of the PNP Administration to make life easier for the Jamaican people.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has persisted with the old guard, much to the detriment of the country.
In rewarding loyalty, the prime minister has sacrificed potentially brilliant young minds who could make a difference, relegating them to the back benches of Parliament. It is time for her to wake up and realise that the old guard is bankrupt of ideas and only new and fresh ideas from the younger set of politicians can offer her any chance of being successful in this her second stint as the Jamaican political leader.
Will Mrs Simpson Miller heed the call? Only time will tell.
Vic Brown
Kingston 8
Nothing new from the PNP
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The first year of the People's National Party's Administration is upon us and we are yet to see any fundamental change in the living conditions of the people of Jamaica.
The PNP returned to power with pledges of growing the economy and creating jobs. In fairness to the 'new' political Administration, the emergency employment programme called JEEP has served as a stop-gap scheme, but Jamaicans need long-term jobs, which seem far away on the horizon.
Much of what we saw under the Jamaica Labour Party Administration remains intact — poor road conditions, rising unemployment, crime hitting the roof, more people begging, indiscipline on the roads by taxi drivers and minibus operators, a lack of respect for Jamaicans by their countrymen, and a general decline in standards.
With an agreement involving the International Monetary Fund seemingly far away, the prospects for at least the early part of 2013 seem rather bleak. Without an IMF agreement, there is no way that Jamaican can convince the international money market that the country should get more money to borrow to assist with debt repayment and for capital development.
What good then can we expect of the PNP Administration to make life easier for the Jamaican people.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has persisted with the old guard, much to the detriment of the country.
In rewarding loyalty, the prime minister has sacrificed potentially brilliant young minds who could make a difference, relegating them to the back benches of Parliament. It is time for her to wake up and realise that the old guard is bankrupt of ideas and only new and fresh ideas from the younger set of politicians can offer her any chance of being successful in this her second stint as the Jamaican political leader.
Will Mrs Simpson Miller heed the call? Only time will tell.
Vic Brown
Kingston 8
Nothing new from the PNP
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