Amidst Jamaica's economic crisis is an overt case of leadership turmoil that most of us seem to overlook. Prime Minister and Mr Minister of Finance, despite our stagnant wages, we sceptically accept your additional draconian tax package for the reason that it's a necessary tool to address our bottomless debt position and to move forward as a country.
Consequently, I believe that it would be even-handed for the government to concur with the citizens on a supplementary leadership package with minimum conditions. Most Jamaicans have bequeathed their fair share of taxes and additional sacrifices over the years. So much so that at this point in time our perceptions of an additional tax package and a second Jamaica Debt Exchange (JDX2) is nothing short of cruel and
unusual punishment.
While the only way to completely reverse such views would be to undo the former and latter steps, accepting a supplementary leadership package from the people would create a bit of optimism among the populace. Alexis de Tocqueville reminds us that "a partisan only sees partial truth." Therefore, in our first stipulation, we are asking for the elimination of divisive and ideological politics at this most confusing and demanding period in our history.
We would like our leaders to formulate comprehensive bipartisan economic policies. Some of us citizens are not ideologues; rather, we are rationalists, whose lenses offer us the ability to see that both parties have good ideas to possibly resolve our current economic problems. Therefore, we ask the PM and the opposition leader to eschew divisive dogmatic politics and collaborate instead. This is not the time to massage the egos of your fellow partisans. This is the time to get Jamaica back on track to economic recovery, which means dropping the egos, cooperating to formulate and implement the most rational bipartisan economic policies, and creating a system of accountability to the people you serve.
The second stipulation of the leadership package is that legislation be passed to create an independent Office of Government Accountability: an autonomous quasi-public agency that completely lacks political influence and only serves to shed much needed light on political endeavours, especially as it relates to the public budget and spending of tax revenues. This agency should provide biannual reports of government expenditures and reports should be made accessible to the public.
The ultimate answers to the state's tribulations are not sitting on the desk of one party. I believe both the PNP and the JLP have great ideas, but without collaboration and transformational leadership, the purpose of the tax package in itself and the JDX2 are already defeated. Amidst this economic crisis we agree to these necessary sacrifices for the betterment of our country; all we ask in return is that leaders from both sides of the spectrum work together and show us some form of accountability.
Shane McFarlane
shane_jas1@hotmail.com
Politicians need to work together
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Consequently, I believe that it would be even-handed for the government to concur with the citizens on a supplementary leadership package with minimum conditions. Most Jamaicans have bequeathed their fair share of taxes and additional sacrifices over the years. So much so that at this point in time our perceptions of an additional tax package and a second Jamaica Debt Exchange (JDX2) is nothing short of cruel and
unusual punishment.
While the only way to completely reverse such views would be to undo the former and latter steps, accepting a supplementary leadership package from the people would create a bit of optimism among the populace. Alexis de Tocqueville reminds us that "a partisan only sees partial truth." Therefore, in our first stipulation, we are asking for the elimination of divisive and ideological politics at this most confusing and demanding period in our history.
We would like our leaders to formulate comprehensive bipartisan economic policies. Some of us citizens are not ideologues; rather, we are rationalists, whose lenses offer us the ability to see that both parties have good ideas to possibly resolve our current economic problems. Therefore, we ask the PM and the opposition leader to eschew divisive dogmatic politics and collaborate instead. This is not the time to massage the egos of your fellow partisans. This is the time to get Jamaica back on track to economic recovery, which means dropping the egos, cooperating to formulate and implement the most rational bipartisan economic policies, and creating a system of accountability to the people you serve.
The second stipulation of the leadership package is that legislation be passed to create an independent Office of Government Accountability: an autonomous quasi-public agency that completely lacks political influence and only serves to shed much needed light on political endeavours, especially as it relates to the public budget and spending of tax revenues. This agency should provide biannual reports of government expenditures and reports should be made accessible to the public.
The ultimate answers to the state's tribulations are not sitting on the desk of one party. I believe both the PNP and the JLP have great ideas, but without collaboration and transformational leadership, the purpose of the tax package in itself and the JDX2 are already defeated. Amidst this economic crisis we agree to these necessary sacrifices for the betterment of our country; all we ask in return is that leaders from both sides of the spectrum work together and show us some form of accountability.
Shane McFarlane
shane_jas1@hotmail.com
Politicians need to work together
-->