Free education: Barbados shows the way

[johnnycakes]

Re: Free education: Barbados shows the way

"Yaawn...when the Comrades leave we will have Free Education, then you won't have any illiterate companions bout yah fi agree wid you baseless ramblings."

C'mon Tuffy,

Can Jamaica afford free education for all? Where is the money for it and any of the other needed social services to be found ?

Further, all the "illiterate companions bout yah" universally disagree with the comrades.

Did you know that the literacy rate in the former Soviet Islamic republics where socialist ideas held reign and all went to school is 90% and the literacy rate in neighboring Islamic Afghanistan that was feudal/capitalist is 10% and just about all male?

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Free education: Barbados shows the way

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: johnnycakes</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can Jamaica afford free education for all? Where is the money for it and any of the other needed social services to be found ?</div></div>

They have found the money in ramshackle Cuban Economy and with all due respects, I know they did not find money, it is more like they made sacrifices.

[Dyoll_73]

Re: Free education: Barbados shows the way

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... doesn't the massive debt repayments prevent the possibility of free public education as it does many other social programs in heavily indebted Jamaica?
Do they not have a legitimate reason for not putting forth a free public education program?
Where would the money come from?
What expenses would they cut to pay for the education program? </div></div>

This is disingenuous coming from you, a rabid socialist, who advocates 'free education' but is rationalizing the failure to provide such to Jamaica - which I might add - is critical to Jamaica's transformation and development. But I'm not surprised. Since Hugo Chavez took control of Venezuela, many socialists, once supporters of alternative energy policy, are now its biggest critics. What next? Global warming is a myth? But I digress.

These are typical questions asked whenever the 'free education' topic arises. The aim is not to spur serious debate - only to muddy the waters and stop 'free education' advocates in their tracks. Why? Because it is a serious embarrassment to - and and indictment of - the party that claims the mantle of social justice and equality.

Government must find the means to provide free education to the end of high school, at the very minimum. Don't ask me where the money is going to come from! You find it, because the consequences of that neglect are perilous. Debt re-scheduling/re-negotiation, reducing waste in the public sector (and I assure you, that is gigantic), an efficient revenue collection apparatus, international financial markets, etc, are some avenues. And as TG mentioned - sacrifice. Again, consider the social, moral, cultural, economic and political consequences of this failure. Education is a critical platform upon which productivity is manifested, so it would seem to me that any investmentment made in that area will pay beneficial returns.

And most importantly, the economy has to grow in real and sustainable terms. That is possible only through free enterprise.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Free education: Barbados shows the way

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dyoll_73</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... doesn't the massive debt repayments prevent the possibility of free public education as it does many other social programs in heavily indebted Jamaica?
Do they not have a legitimate reason for not putting forth a free public education program?
Where would the money come from?
What expenses would they cut to pay for the education program? </div></div>

This is disingenuous coming from you, a rabid socialist, who advocates 'free education' but is rationalizing the failure to provide such to Jamaica - which I might add - is critical to Jamaica's transformation and development. But I'm not surprised. Since Hugo Chavez took control of Venezuela, many socialists, once supporters of alternative energy policy, are now its biggest critics. What next? Global warming is a myth? But I digress.

These are typical questions asked whenever the 'free education' topic arises. The aim is not to spur serious debate - only to muddy the waters and stop 'free education' advocates in their tracks. Why? Because it is a serious embarrassment to - and and indictment of - the party that claims the mantle of social justice and equality.

Government must find the means to provide free education to the end of high school, at the very minimum. Don't ask me where the money is going to come from! You find it, because the consequences of that neglect are perilous. Debt re-scheduling/re-negotiation, reducing waste in the public sector (and I assure you, that is gigantic), an efficient revenue collection apparatus, international financial markets, etc, are some avenues. And as TG mentioned - sacrifice. Again, consider the social, moral, cultural, economic and political consequences of this failure. Education is a critical platform upon which productivity is manifested, so it would seem to me that any investmentment made in that area will pay beneficial returns.

And most importantly, the economy has to grow in real and sustainable terms. That is possible only through free enterprise. </div></div>

How dare this dishonest Comrade to ask for, a what, a legitimate reason for proposing Free Tuition to Jamaican Children?

This comrade would oh so love to maintain the status quo, where the illiterate mob sit on the corner awaiting the beck and call of the corrupt politician, who use false Socialist rhetoric to drive out Jamaicans from their place of birth, all the better for foreigners such as himself to gobble up peple properties @ fire sale-prices, carry on life as the typical absentee landlord, with a small army of machete wielding, illiterate thugs @ his beck and call.

I see through his ugly, corrupt facade!

[Dyoll_73]

Re: Free education: Barbados shows the way

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dyoll_73</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... doesn't the massive debt repayments prevent the possibility of free public education as it does many other social programs in heavily indebted Jamaica?
Do they not have a legitimate reason for not putting forth a free public education program?
Where would the money come from?
What expenses would they cut to pay for the education program? </div></div>

This is disingenuous coming from you, a rabid socialist, who advocates 'free education' but is rationalizing the failure to provide such to Jamaica - which I might add - is critical to Jamaica's transformation and development. But I'm not surprised. Since Hugo Chavez took control of Venezuela, many socialists, once supporters of alternative energy policy, are now its biggest critics. What next? Global warming is a myth? But I digress.

These are typical questions asked whenever the 'free education' topic arises. The aim is not to spur serious debate - only to muddy the waters and stop 'free education' advocates in their tracks. Why? Because it is a serious embarrassment to - and and indictment of - the party that claims the mantle of social justice and equality.

Government must find the means to provide free education to the end of high school, at the very minimum. Don't ask me where the money is going to come from! You find it, because the consequences of that neglect are perilous. Debt re-scheduling/re-negotiation, reducing waste in the public sector (and I assure you, that is gigantic), an efficient revenue collection apparatus, international financial markets, etc, are some avenues. And as TG mentioned - sacrifice. Again, consider the social, moral, cultural, economic and political consequences of this failure. Education is a critical platform upon which productivity is manifested, so it would seem to me that any investmentment made in that area will pay beneficial returns.

And most importantly, the economy has to grow in real and sustainable terms. That is possible only through free enterprise. </div></div>

How dare this dishonest Comrade to ask for, a what, a legitimate reason for proposing Free Tuition to Jamaican Children?

This comrade would oh so love to maintain the status quo, where the illiterate mob sit on the corner awaiting the beck and call of the corrupt politician, who use false Socialist rhetoric to drive out Jamaicans from their place of birth, all the better for foreigners such as himself to gobble up peple properties @ fire sale-prices, carry on life as the typical absentee landlord, with a small army of machete wielding, illiterate thugs @ his beck and call.

I see through his ugly, corrupt facade!
</div></div>

The illiterate and poor are a reliable voting block for the 'comrades.' Listen to how Sista P brags about how she loves the poor. She loves them so much she keeps them poor.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Free education: Barbados shows the way

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dyoll_73</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The illiterate and poor are a reliable voting block for the 'comrades.' Listen to how Sista P brags about how she loves the poor. She loves them so much she keeps them poor. </div></div>

Let’s just say this and get it out of the way. Not because you are illiterate, it means you can't think.
In fact it was humans, who in the classic sense of the word, were illiterates, conceived the first book and no doubt the first University.

The problem is when illiteracy, coupled with poverty become the culture. Worse when the ruthless and the corrupt exploit that culture to there own satisfaction, as happened under Menlie-The-Younger, PJoke Patterson and now Sistah P.

Just look @ her Constituency and you will see in living colour, the evidence that she indeed loves the illiterate and the poor and that given 5 more years, she hope to produce more of the same from the stock of Jamaicans Citizens @ her disposal.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Free education: Barbados shows the way


LETTER OF THE DAY - The real question is: Can we afford not tohave free education?
published: Tuesday | June 5, 2007

The Editor, Sir:

The JLP's plan for free education is much more far-sighted that the free health care announced by the Prime Minister. We perceive a situation where our nation's children will be given the tools to equip themselves which will not just benefit them but the entire country. We envision a Jamaica where people are employed and employable. Such individuals will be able to provide their own food, be a part of the job creation process, be less inclined to be involved in violent crimes and other criminal activities born out of frustration. We believe that if we educate our people they will ultimately be able to provide their own health care.

We talk about dismantling garrison constituencies, yet we fail to see the reality between unemployed, uneducated people with guns and the phenomenon of the garrison. How likely is it that a politician could give a gun to a graduate from Campion High School or Wolmer's Boys' School or $500 to vote for him?

Jamaica cannot afford to continue down a path where a large cross section of our populace is uneducated and another large segment under-educated. We fail to remember that, despite our success in track and field and reggae music, we still need to compete intellectually on the world stage. How can we be partners in CARICOM with countries like Barbados and Trinidad which not only provide free education to the secondary level, but also to the tertiary level? Is it any wonder that their economy is better than ours?

Generation 2000 is calling on all well-thinking Jamaicans to take a dispassionate look at this issue. It is time we all remove our partisan-coloured glasses and look at what is best for our country. Not because the JLP has suggested it should it mean that the PNP must reject it. This issue is bigger than both political parties. This relates to our future and the future of our children.

The question has never been can we afford free education; rather, it is, can we afford not to.

I am, etc.,

HAROLD BRUCE MALCOLM

[email protected]

Publications' Director

Generation 2000

20 Belmont Road

Kingston

Via Go-Jamaica

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070605/letters/letters1.html