THEY BORE no placards but business leaders managed to command the attention of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, some Cabinet Ministers and other Members of Parliament in their demonstration against the imposition of a streetlight cess yesterday.
Armed with envelopes, the presidents of seven of the island's business organisations along with representatives of the Jamaica Manufact-urers Association stood outside Gordon House handing out papers which outlined their position on the 3.14 per cent cess to finance streetlight repairs.
The police, at one point, insisted the businessmen disperse on the basis that no congregating was allowed at the entrance to Parliament but what appeared to be developing into a small confrontation was defused when Minister of Industry Commerce and Technology, Phillip Paulwell, emerged to address the group.
Mr. Paulwell had met earlier yesterday with the productive sector for members to outline the impact of the cess on their operations.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Edward Seaga has come out in full support of the private sector's position on the light cess.
"Common sense dictates that the JPS cess for streetlights should be withdrawn now and payment for the cost of lights be met by increased revenues from property tax," said Mr. Seaga in a press release issued yesterday afternoon.
The Opposition stands ready to promote a massive march in the Corporate Area for JLP, PNP and others, if Government does not reconsider this "foolish decision", the release said.
Asked about consultations that Information Minister Colin Campbell said had been held with the private sector before the cess' announcement, JMA president Clarence Clarke said to the best of his knowledge no such consultations had taken place. |
Mr. Clarke said yesterday's meeting was cordial and Mr. Paulwell had promised to take the business community's positions to Cabinet, but the businessmen were not sure whether their positions had changed the Government's plan to implement the cess on April 1.
While insisting that he always stood "with the private sector", Mr. Paulwell would not comment on whether he would be recommending such a compromise to his Cabinet colleagues.
Participants in yesterday's protest included Chamber of Commerce representatives Andrew Grant, St. Ann, Donovan Cover, Manchester, Rudolph Green, St. Catherine, Trevor Hamilton, St. Elizabeth, Wes Levy, Clarendon, and Anthony Chang, Jamaica Chamber; Jamaica Manu-facturers Association representatives Clarence Clarke, president, Sameer Younis, past president and Raymond Miles, director.
Mr. Clarke told The Gleaner that the private sector would provide additional details requested by Mr. Paulwell as soon as it had the information.
