Rayon Dyer, Gleaner WriterCHAIRMAN OF the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Dr. Kenneth Baugh, says it is evident there is a united front in the party, which indicates that the JLP is ready to take over the leadership of the country.
He made these comments while speaking at the official opening of the party's South West St. Elizabeth constituency office in Black River recently.
Dr. Baugh said the JLP has seen the challenges ahead and its members were more united than ever, ready to lead the country in the 21st century.
"There is a large block of young people in the country who are unemployed and when you see them, it is as if they have no hope. We in the JLP are saying that we are going to have to give these people some hope, because the People's National Party administration has failed them." Dr. Baugh said.
The JLP chairman went on to list some of the things that he feels are hurting the Jamaican economy. Among them are a high interest rate policy, the failure to maximise exports, crime and violence, and a general
mismanagement of the overall economy.
Christopher Tufton, JLP caretaker for South West St. Elizabeth, who also spoke at the opening, said that "education in the parish of St. Elizabeth was at an all-time low and more needs to be done for the young people of the parish".
Quoting from what he said were official statistics, Dr. Tufton said that more than 75 per cent of young people failed to pass any CXC subject and, consequently, the parish was heading for serious problems. He added that someone needed to urgently address these critical issues.
Another finding highlighted by the JLP caretaker is that significant numbers of people in the parish were still using pit latrines.
"In this day and age, with so many people using pit latrines, it is an indication that we are behind time. The people of St. Elizabeth deserve better treatment from their elected representatives," Dr. Tufton said.
