- CLAUDINE HOUSEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Was the appeal to women during the Budget presentation a pre-election strategy? Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller with supporters.Shallman Scott, Contributor
SHOULD PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller's performance in the Budget Debate be dismissed outright as so much sound and emotions lacking in substance, as I have heard it said repeatedly in some quarters?
That view point is not the only prevailing one. Some feel that the performance of the PM was impressive, as it pressed all the right political buttons. Despite her detractors, the PM gave a good account of herself by taking on frontally some issues raised by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding, particularly as it relates to the use of National Insurance Fund (NIF) and National Housing Trust (NHT) funds.
In defence of the further raiding of these funds, the PM berated Golding for thoughtlessly trying to secure the 'excess' moneys available without thinking of the need to help the suffering poor. In continuing, the PM likened the Opposition Leader to a father who becomes preoccupied with building up a stock of savings on fixed-deposit accounts while his children starve. At this point, she assured the country that the funds were in good hands - a brilliant and biting political response to the Leader of the Opposition. So far so good.
REMAINING QUESTION
But, the question remains after 17 years in government; Why does the People's National Party (PNP) have to resort to the raiding of the NIS and NHT funds to help poor people? And why should the Jamaican people swallow the pill that all will be well with the NIS and NHT funds because Government promises that this will be so?
Last year, we were told that that the $5 billion drawn from the NHT to fund education was a one-off drawdown.
This year, we are being given a different argument for a new raid by the Government of the NHT and the NIF. We are told that it's poor people funds being given to poor people to balance their lives. And, further, that these moneys will be paid back despite no guarantees being issued by the Government.
So, what of balancing the lives of Government workers who have not had a decent increase in wages in over three years? In the early part of her Budget presentation, the PM noted, among other things, that there was alienation among the people and conceded that political expectations were high as a consequence of her - the poor little country girl - arrival to the position of Prime Minister.
OWNERSHIP OF THE LEGACY
Mrs. Simpson Miller needs to make up her mind whether, in presenting former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's budget, she is prepared to take ownership of all aspects of the Patterson legacy of not only the 'goodies' but also the corruption which has dogged this PNP administration for the last 17 years.
She needs to acknowledge the $18-$20 billion of waste and corruption so far reported. Had it been avoided in the last 17 years the country would not have been in these economic and financial straits. There would, therefore, be no need to argue with the Opposition over NIS/NHT funds.
In light of our disappointing experiences with this present government of which the present PM has been a part, the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is quite correct, in the public interest, to ring the alarm.
It also begs another question: What set of circumstances will have to present themselves for this raiding of and dipping into these special purpose funds to stop? And when? This was neither addressed by the PM nor the Minister of Finance during their presentations.
The raft of projects ranging from subsidised housing for the poor, additional housing for sugar workers, housing for tourism workers, employment creation schemes and a 14 per cent increase in the allocation to early childhood education, indicate quite clearly that there will be an early election. Making an appeal to women voters, the Prime Minister announced that an additional 11,500 persons would be employed, trained and certified via the Urban Development Corporation and the Lift up Jamaica programme. In this programme women will be guaranteed 40 per cent of these jobs with employment allocations rising to 50-50 in time.
VOTE-CATCHING POTENTIAL
Prime Minister Simpson Miller massaged the emotions of listeners as she spoke about the pain she feels for the children who are being murdered and for young girls, particularly in the inner city, who are abused physically, mentally and psychologically by community dons, among others.
She hit out against irresponsible fathers and issued a veiled threat that they will be expected to do better under her watch. This is powerful political stuff with enormous vote-catching potential as it attracts sympathy across the gender and social divide.
The challenge, though, is more than saying the politically correct things in a Budget Debate and consolidating one's grip on the the PNP leadership. The challenge - in the words of the PM - is the political disconnection and alienation which pervade the country. This has been exacerbated by the acts of corruption which seem no longer motivated only by greed but, more so, by the disrespect and the taking for granted of us the Jamaican people.
Shalman Scott is a political analyst. Email him at shalscott@hotmail.com
