Government members incensed by Holness
Published:Wednesday | January 18, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer
Opposition Leader Andrew Holness yesterday drew the ire of government members of the House of Representatives, after warning the new administration against abandoning policies implemented under the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
In his maiden presentation as opposition leader, Holness was heckled by Government members who were apparently annoyed by the tone and content of his speech, and who only showed restraint after Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller raised her right arm in disapproval.
At the beginning of his presentation, Holness had offered congratulations to Simpson Miller.
"We must all be proud that this little country Jamaica has had 16 elections in which the voice of the people can be freely expressed and respected," he said, earning him cheers from members of both sides of the aisle.
Holness said many countries were striving for that democracy and it was a heritage of which the nation should be proud.
Didn't go down well
However, when the opposition leader began to warn the Government about cutting policy decisions taken by his and his predecessor Bruce Golding's administrations, it was not digested well.
Holness said the reality facing the country was again on the front burner of national discourse, and the challenges remained.
"When we left the government, we left a solid and stable base … ," the opposition leader declared, drawing sarcastic comments from the government side.
With cheers turning to jeers, Holness stood firm, completing his sentence with "… on which we expect the Government to build".
Offering "unsolicited advice", Holness warned the Government not to reverse the free tuition and health-care policies, to carry through the legislative agenda to reduce corruption and tackle crime.
"Do not let crime return to the level that we inherited it in 2000," he said, clearly meaning 2007 when the JLP came to office.
By now members on the Government benches began throwing verbal punches, shouting "UDC", "JDIP", and "NSWMA", in reference to government entities and projects hit by scandal under the previous administration.
Earlier in his presentation, Holness promised to "… bring every falsehood to light, but importantly, Mr Speaker … we will hold the Government true to its word, its promises and commitments … to account and we will make the Government account for the resources of this country," he warned, promising to give critical oversight and constructive criticism.