Jamaica: Independence and Elections - Interesting Days Ahead!

  The Jamaican Flag 
  Originally uploaded by Bonita Jamaica

Due to the fact that over 34% of our friends are from Jamaica, I will, over the next few weeks, be doing a few posts on the Jamaican elections, which are topical right now and are of interest to Jamaicans in Jamaica and in the Diaspora, who are regular readers of this blog.

Hope you'll enjoy them...please remember to leave your comments, re these posts, below, each, ok?

Let's begin:

This week has been one of exceptional activity of national significance for Jamaica.

1) On Monday August 8,2007, we celebrated 45 years of independence.

We are still debating our accomplishments as an independent nation:

While we do govern ourselves, have a constitution (albeit antiquated), have a majority of black-owned businesses, have citizens who dominate the world stage where sports, music, education and finance are concerned, it is questionable as to whether or not a truly independent nation, would have an import bill of JMD $5.6 billion (USD $83.58 million), in 2006 - nearly 3 times as much as our exports for that period of JMD $1.98 billion (USD $29.5 million).

Unfortunately this trend has continued into 2007,with our imports up to April 2007, being JMD $1.96 billion (USD $28.8 million)- nearly three times as much as our exports for the period - a meagre JMD $700.7 million (USD $10.3 million).

This situation has become so grave that the government is now importing Venezuelan fertilizer, since the US fertilizer that we have been importing has gone up to JMD $3,000/USD $43.6 a bag.

Can you imagine, we're importing fertilizer - what happened to good old Jamaican cow and chicken manure?

Sometimes I wonder if our national heroes aren't turning in their graves, as a result of the decisions we've made to land us in this dilemma.

Anyway, I'll continue:

2) Tuesday August 7,2007 was Nomination Day - 147 candidates were nominated for the upcoming General Elections on August 27. They will be competing for the 60 Parliamentary Seats. Thank God the day went well, with one blot being a murder in Grants Pen.

But it was good to see the carnival nature of politics return, in some constituencies, with Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and People's National Party (PNP) members, dancing, exchanging flags and hugging - If this could only spill over into election day - this would be so good!

3) Last night, Wednesday August 8, 2007, was the first of three (3) debates, in the National Debate Series, which saw Dr. Kenneth Baugh, Shadow Minister of Health for the JLP, squaring off against Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security (PNP) on social issues affecting this country.

[These debates give both political parties the opportunity to answer questions from media questioners, re their past, present and future social and economic policies for Jamaica. Thus enabling us as Jamaicans to see who is better suited to run this country for the next five (5) years,based on their responses and rebuttals.]

In all, it was a good debate, but each had too little time to really discuss the issues of concern to us as Jamaicans, such as crime and corruption.

Overall, I believe that Minister Peter Pillips won - he was more composed and was able to answer with very little reference to notes. Dr.Baugh did ok, but he seem to be too pre-occupied with his notes while answering questions posted by three journalists: Emily Crooks, Damion Mitchell and Earl Moxam.

The other debates will take place on:

a) August 10, between Mr. Audley Shaw- Shadow Minister of Finance and Dr. Omar Davies, Minister of Finance.

b) August 11 between Opposition JLP leader Bruce Golding and Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller.

4) Tonight, Thursday, August 9,2007 - the PNP released their Manifesto in response to the JLP's ,which was released on July 30.

However, for the life of me, I can't see why a government of eighteen years only presented 30 minutes worth of a manifesto...one that they've allegedly prepared since February of this year.

Most of what of what was presented was a rehashing of their "accomplishments", with promises to do better, e.g. to move GDP from its present 2% annual growth, to 6-7% annual growth.

This promise must be viewed in light of the fact that our neighbouring Caribbean islands' GDPs are growing at  rates between 8-9% per year, with them having far less natural and human resources than we do.

Hmmmmh!...interesting, huh?

Well, that's it for now....will continue to keep you updated:).

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Table "Imports and Total Exports by Sections 2005-2007", Statistical Institute of Jamaica website

2) Television Jamaica 7:00 News, August 6-9, 2007

3) CVM Television, Nightly News at 8:00, August 6-9, 2007.

(Inset Picture of two Jamaican athletes, Asafa Powell and Sheri-Ann Brooks, holding Jamaican flag.)