Int bodies ?s GOJ's performance

[Tuff Gong]

<span style="font-size: 14pt">International bodies question government's performance</span>

By Al Edwards
Friday, August 15, 2008

A few weeks away from its first year in government, the Bruce Golding-led Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) performance is coming under scrutiny with the assessment from international bodies not being too favourable.

Many surmise that the government has been unable to keep its promises as outlined in its manifesto, and that the economy continues to lurch in the wrong direction with the administration to date unable to employ adequate prescriptions.

However, the government is at the mercy of escalating oil prices, rising food costs the world over, and a downturn in the United States economy. Such a state of affairs would hamper any small island-state economy, which for all intents and purposes totally relies upon imports.

One of the common criticisms levelled at the present administration is that it has not come up with policy frameworks, which contain both short-term and long- term objectives. This may well be as a result of atrophied administrative muscles due to 18 years in Opposition.

&quot;After 18 years of the People's National Party (PNP), it was thought that the JLP would revolutionise the governance of Jamaica, galvanise the populace and take measures that would spur economic growth.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">&quot;Instead, the country is worse off than it was a year ago, inflation is at about 25 per cent, crime is at an all-time high, poverty levels are on the increase and there is no discernible energy plan to combat rising oil prices. Jamaica may well be facing a downgrade from the more reputable rating agencies because there are a lot more single B sovereigns doing far better than Jamaica, said Sven Wilander of Chase Manhattan's Research Unit.</span>

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines...ERFORMANCE_.asp

[evanovitch]

Re: Int bodies ?s GOJ's performance

given wat they started with, and coupled wid the world wide downward spiral it was a given dat no miracles were to be achieved...

the report is disingenuous in not highlighting dat they faced a uphill battle an none of the components were theirs to correct independently

juss my assessment

[evanovitch]

Re: Int bodies ?s GOJ's performance

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">&quot;It does not allow for the health of our families, the quality of their education and the joy of their play. It is indifferent to the decency of our factories and the safety of our streets. The GNP measures neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.&quot;..so said Robert Kennedy
</div></div>

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Int bodies ?s GOJ's performance

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">given wat they started with, and coupled wid the world wide downward spiral it was a given dat no miracles were to be achieved...

the report is disingenuous in not highlighting dat they faced a uphill battle an none of the components were theirs to correct independently

juss my assessment </div></div>

Let me say 2 things about it.
First I concur with the report for the most part but with a rider.

The International Agencies don't reside in Jamaica they get their info from Jamaicans who report on these things primarily the Technocrats employed by the GOJ.
Reading the reports about JLP Manifesto promises one get the impression that you are reading the PNP Campaign arguments, because while the JLP made some promises the PNP made none but to continue the rot and their criticism of the so-called many JLP Campaign promises is vague and without specifics.

The problem with the JLP is on many levels it seems the only sure thing Bruce had in mind when he sought power was that his Government was going to be less corrupt and even more importantly he would do is level best to avoid any of the success of any previous JLP Government especially the ones Led by Eddie Blinds.
In doing so he has made sure that the MHRs that would me most able to continue of the path that Eddie Blinds put the country on in the 1980s were sidelined to the most ineffective parts of the Government. Those that he could not easily banish were bracketed with trusted outriders.
Then to make matters worse he has kept the same failed technocrats and policy apparatus of the failed PNP Administrations.

Is Government has looked weak and cowardly. Dealing with crime, water and some of the failing instructions of the State was clearly not its intention, maybe they had collectively sat down and consulted with the same false prophet that Portia used in her time.
Every members of the Government seems to have joined in a pact to be absent from Jamaica as much as possible, just obliterating the PNP Governments records in that department.
Despite the hard times body language is important and the GOJ led by Bruce seems to have put things on autopilot, hoping that gods of the instruments will guide Jamaica to a soft landing.