Lambert Brown, Guest Columnist
ON WEDNESDAY, Parliament approved the estimates of expenditure of approximately $360 billion to be spent this financial year. The Opposition it appears did not vote against the level of expenditure. In effect, it seems that both sides agreed despite the 'fussing and fighting' on the level of expenditure.
As Jamaicans, we can be justly proud of the high quality of debate which took place in Parliament with regard to the Budget. The ministers of government, as well as the Opposition spokespersons outperformed themselves. The quality of the research and arguments was indeed commendable.
The problem, however, is that our leaders are good at talking nice-sounding words and making grand promises. Oftentimes, the implementation is lacking. They know that our people have short memories and will soon forget what was said in this year's Budget. So, from year to year more people get turned off from listening or watching Budget debates. People are cynical and tend not to believe what they hear.
I get the feeling that this year was somewhat different. The people were anticipating a clash of two champions. 'Could Bruce dethrone Portia?' was the mental billboard on every corner of the country. There we had two relatively new leaders of the respective parties in Parliament in a year which is likely to be the penultimate, if not the last one before the next general elections. Would there be a knockout or would the debate peter out to a tame draw?
FIRST ROUND
The first round started immediately after the Throne Speech and the presentation of the estimates of expenditure by Dr. Omar Davies. The venue was the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament. The JLP tag team of Golding, Shaw and Samuda ambushed the Government minister and hit them really hard.
Many of the government ministers seemed tired and unprepared, as if they had grown weary from too much wine. Even a former government minister K.D. Knight appeared at times to be throwing serious blows against his own side. Prime Minister Simpson Miller was not there to help her team. Round One went decisively to Team Bruce.
ROUND TWO
Round Two saw the Finance Minister presenting the revenue budget, telling the country how he would pay for the $358 billion worth of expenditure. He came out jabbing. He will borrow more and go after the tax dodgers; this is how he intends to meet his revenue targets. He is up against the 'man a yard' from Christiana, Audley Shaw. That the nation is failing in terms of production, and prices have gone up in the face of a wage freeze, and the people are hurting, was the uppercut for Shaw.
This was followed by the left hook containing allegations of waste and extravagant spending by the Government. He then buys into the Minister of Finance's economic model and is backed up against the ropes. In trying to get out of the corner, he swings with a call to use the PetroCaribe funds to pay down the external debt.
This is ruled an illegal blow which is not allowed under the agreement with Venezuela. For this he lost very important points.
Omar Davies responded with no new taxes, a telling blow against Shaw. Thank the Lord, shouted the spectators. The collective sigh of relief could be heard miles away. That round goes to Team Portia.
ROUND THREE DRAW
Round Three saw the formidable Roger Clarke up against the bright and upcoming Andrew Holness. No telling or knockout blows are delivered in this round by either side. The round is declared a draw.
With the draw going into the final round even between both sides, the final round would have to see the sides coming out throwing knockout punches. First it was Team Bruce which entered the ring.
The Opposition Leader wasted no time. He went straight to the head of Team Portia; he connected with a powerful 'she was there'; he followed up with a combination of 'let's do it' and this is with respect to a number of changes in the operations of Parliament and the constitutional arrangements.
He followed that up with 'Stickyfingers! Don't touch poor people money!', the question on everyone's mind was how hurt, how damaged would Team Portia be? Could she recover from those devastating blows?
Last year, Bruce gained valuable experience from sparring with P.J. Patterson. Portia was for the first time entering the ring, the declared champion, but an inexperienced fighter. The stage was set for defeat, and even some of her home town supporters were not visible in her corner. After all, their 'doctor' was not the one chosen by the manager to meet Bruce in the ring.
It is in this context that Portia bounced into the ring. Immediately it appeared evident that she was playing the old Muhammed Ali 'rope-a-dope' trick, smilingly absorbing the punches of Bruce while waiting to unleash her own counterattacks.
Reaffirming the founding father's choice of God, she followed with allegations of plagiarism, then contrasting herself being there and waiting to take over the leadership of the party, with an impatient flip-flopping opponent. "Ouch, that must hurt!" shouted the crowd. While declaring her vision of a Jamaica with an opportunity for all the people, not with just JLP and PNP, she rained blow after blow with benefits aimed at 'balancing the life of the people', not merely giving them a chance where they may either win or lose. Before the referee stepped in to part the fighters, 'sticky fingers' allegations were being pointed at the other side.
At the end of this round-one section, some of the spectators were shouting "More for the poor" while others celebrated shouting the "NIS money safe." Team Portia brilliantly and effectively delivered the blows that gave her a decisive victory in the round and the Budget showdown. On Wednesday last, when the referee called the contestants together for the presentation, Bruce was absent from the ring. Portia was not only declared the winner but she also won over the 'PARCHMENT'.
Some in the press box were more concerned about whether Portia was south-paw, had knock knees, cast eyes, or kept dancing around the ring. They failed to see that she was stinging like a bee, and floating like a butterfly in the first battle of the big election to come.
May the country go forward in peace towards that day, and let not the raucous behaviour in Parliament on Tuesday be the forerunner of things to come.
Lambert Brown is president of the University and Allied Workers' Union and can be contacted at labpoyh@yahoo.com.
