Hylton

The party has appointed a commission to lead the process and its chairman, Anthony Hylton, says it has erected a five-plank structure, which serves as the springboard for the progressive agenda.

The five planks revolve around human-resource development; creation of a safe and just society; accountability and responsibility; foreign policy; and, economic growth and sustainable development.

Hylton is charged with the responsibility of fleshing out what many in the party view as a vague concept into a cohesive structure that can be easily understood by all.

rough outline

Hylton points to the already prepared rough outline of the progressive agenda, but concedes that there is no crashing crescendo to mark his team's accomplishment.

Hylton presented evidence to The Sunday Gleaner showing that his team was working assiduously, if unobtrusively.

He conceded that the process seemed slow, but argued that the nature of the exercise demanded particular care. "It (the process) is deliberately painstaking as ... it is process driven," Hylton declared.

While the preliminary levels of the consultative process involved the party organisation, including the six regions of the national executive council, Hylton clearly has his work cut out to market the product.

hard sell

The PNP deputy chairman is of the view that it would not be a hard sell once the time-consuming process has been completed.

A closer look at the five planks shows that the human resource development component seeks to promote the family as the basic building block of society; promote social mobility through education, training and economic opportunities; manage and protect the environment to enable sustainable development, and create and support initiatives which enable healthy lifestyles.

The push to establish a safe and just society speaks to the need to transform the social order and provide national safety and security, as well as modernising the management, technical and scientific capabilities of the security forces.

It also speaks to the need to empower communities through social and economic intervention, and ensure fair access to an efficient and effective justice system.

The participation, accountability, responsibility factor is aimed at addressing the need to hold decision-makers in the public and private sectors accountable for governance.

It also outlines the need to, among other things, demand transparency in the management and use of public resources and demand financial integrity and zero tolerance for corruption in the public and private sectors.

fourth plank

The fourth plank - progressive internationalism - will, it is envisaged, promote democratic change; pursue new avenues for international trade and economic cooperation; strengthen regional and other international alliances; strengthen political relations with fraternal parties throughout the region and the world; and, diversify trade relations with non-traditional markets as the need and opportunities arise.

On the economic side of the equation, the party is seeking to encourage science and technology and innovation; promote and facilitate investments; and, recognise the role of the State in enabling the growth of new, sustainable industries.

It also seeks to promote environmentally friendly economic activity and growth; encourage economic partnerships; and, focus on wealth creation by deepening and widening participation in the development of the economy.

gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com