Neita-Headley

Natalie Neita-Headley brought bread-and-butter issues to Parliament last Tuesday. Literally. The East Central St Catherine member of parliament (MP) brought rice, flour, sugar, oil, bread and butter to Gordon House.

However, there was no chicken back, much to the amusement of some government MPs, who used the opportunity to make humorous references to Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller who has repeatedly said on political platforms that food prices have gone out of the reach of the poor.

Just when members and visitors to the House appeared jaded by the lengthy presentation, Neita-Headley had the House in stitches.

Suffering

Deputy House Speaker Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert nearly lost the use of her gavel after constant pounding caused it to fall apart. She, however, managed to get it back in one piece, but not before Neita-Headley could make her point.

"People are suffering," the opposition member told the House.

World conditions have sent food and fuel prices to astronomical levels. The People's National Party has accused the governing Jamaica Labour Party of not doing enough to alleviate the suffering of the more vulnerable.

Neita-Headley said the average family of four now has to spend an additional $3,140 per month for a basic food basket.

She contended, for example, that the price of six lb of rice has moved from $120 in August last year to $240 today. The package of rice was taken to Parliament as part of the demonstration.

Opposition MP Roger Clarke, who had scoffed at Government's idea to plant five acres of rice to help in the country's food security by saying he could single-handedly (or single-mouthedly) eat that crop, was gifted with the rice.

The burly Clarke crossed the floor and passed on the rice to government member Othneil Lawrence. However, the rice was returned, with Robert Montague, in good fun, commenting that it was weevil-infested and may have been in storage since the days when the PNP was in power.

Work programme

Meanwhile, Neita-Headley said that a welfare to work programme should be undertaken by Govern-ment to empower people to become self-sufficient.

An average family on the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) receives $3,900 per month, Neita-Headley claims. Prime Minister Bruce Golding had requested that the number of PATH beneficiaries be increased by 115,000 persons as a means of confronting the effects of rising food prices on the poor.