Phillips
Garwin Davis, Assistant News Editor
MINISTER OF National Security and leadership contender Dr. Peter Phillips has denied suggestions that he was 'taking a swipe' at the economic policies of Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies in speeches in St. Andrew and St. Ann last week.
In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, following a mass rally of the People's National Party (PNP) delegates and supporters on the grounds of the Melrose Farm Estate in Claremont, St. Ann on Wednesday, Dr. Phillips said when he spoke of not having economic growth at the expense of the small man, he was in no way hitting out against fellow leadership contender, Dr. Davies.
"I am not swiping at anyone in the things that I say," Dr. Phillips said. "I am only positively trying to articulate my own vision for the country, on where we are and where we are going."
'WE ARE NOT AGAINST PROFITS'
Dr. Phillips, at the Tarrant High School in St. Andrew last Sunday and again in St. Ann on Wednesday, said: "We don't want economic growth just so profits of big companies can get bigger and bigger. We are not against profits but we want everyone to have the opportunity to collect their own pay cheques, take care of the needs of their own family and walk with their heads held high in dignity. Our economy still leaves too many people on the margins, on the edge of destitution, and one's mission must be to ensure that all the Jamaican people can have a stake in the fruits of our economic life."
Asked whether this couldn't be interpreted that the current economic policies of Dr. Davies savoured only the very rich in the society, Dr. Phillips said he was not about to get caught up in a "big man versus small man" debate.
"We are not against profits for the so-called big man, I want to make that positively clear," he noted.
"There, however, must be some level of equality where the historically poor and marginalised feels that he has a say in what is taking place. The big man will also tell you that it is a lot better to do business in a climate that is free from social unrests and tensions. He will tell you that it is in everybody's interest for the small man to have a piece of the economic pie. The surest way to have social unrest is for a large section of the population to feel left out - to feel that others are making it at their expense.
"This is not swiping at anybody, this is reality."
Pressed on whether he would continue to use Dr. Davies as the Finance Minister if elected, Dr. Phillips said the question was somewhat premature and one that he would have to consider if and when that moment should arise.
"What I can say is that Dr. Davies, like all the other leadership contenders, has made a considerable contribution to the PNP movement as well as to this country," he said. "While I don't want to get into any specifics as to who will hold what Cabinet post if I should get elected, sure there would definitely be a place for him. I also want to add that opportunities would be there for new faces persons who make up the younger generation and who should have a say in nation building and the way forward."
Asked to respond to criticisms that he was deliberately side-stepping the crime issue on the campaign trail so as to make it easier to get his message across to party delegates, Dr. Phillips denounced the charge as ludicrous.
"There are those who would want to create the impression that the crime issue is a one-man show so as to paint me in a bad light but the people of this country are a lot smarter than that," he said. "We all have to work together to tackle this monster and we have been doing a lot of good things. Yes, there is a lot more that needs to be done but make no mistake about it, I have not been easing up on doing everything within my power to keep this country safe."
