Whither this social partnership?

Ian Boyne

So, after nearly 20 years of talking, posturing and back-and-forthing, we finally have a social partnership between the Government, trade unions, private sector, and civil society. But not one with the Opposition.

Andrew Holness says he supports "the concept of a social partnership" and will remain on the Partnership Council where the social partners meet, but he won't ink any agreement. The reason he gives is that the Government has not shown any commitment to the reform agenda, particularly tax and public-sector reform. But I doubt anyone who is even vaguely familiar with our politics would pay a moment's notice to that reason.

A deeper reason seems to be - as we must be courteous to our opposition leader - that internal Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) politics, as well as our general political culture of tribalism, proscribes any such action on Holness' part.

The fact is that Andrew Holness is already seen as too weak, too soft and too conciliatory vis--vis this Government, and if he dared to sign any agreement, Labourites and other Jamaicans feeling the pressure of the austerity measures would see that as a signing away of their rights to "this wicked, uncaring Government". Labourites nuh want dem party fi inna nutten with this Government.

Not willing to cooperate

Andrew Holness, knowing the suffering on the ground and the feeling of many Labourites that the People's National Party (PNP) was not willing to cooperate with them when they were in power and, therefore, they would not take kindly to any signing of paper with this Government "which promised nightmare when we were in power". Yes, I know what you are saying uptown: We should break this vicious cycle; we can't go on like this; who will have the courage to say "enough is enough?"; who will bell the cat?

Andrew probably feels the same way, too, but he has a conference coming up in November, and if he is to be the change in the JLP and, subsequently, in Jamaica, he first has to remain in his position. Politics is the art of the possible. Idealism, sadly, does not win elections. Civil society, including media, can comfortably and dispassionately pontificate and sermonise on what Jamaica needs now, but hard-nosed, realist politicians set on winning state power - and wading off ambitious aspirants with long knives in their own parties - don't have that luxury. When they have made the crude, pragmatic and expedient decisions which can help them maintain or secure power, then they can indulge a little idealism.

Andrew wants to be different and to do things to be applauded by non-partisans, private sector and civil society, yes, but he will, however reluctantly, sacrifice that rather than his position as JLP leader. It's regrettable that it's these kinds of trade-offs which have to be made in raw politics, but it is what it is. In any event, the Opposition's signature is not needed for a social partnership to work.

In fact, in the other celebrated cases of successful social partnerships, the Opposition was not involved. The Opposition did not sign with Sandiford in Barbados. Nor was the Opposition involved in Ireland. Nor in New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Did we want to create history here?

FORMAL AGREEMENT

That there is a formal agreement between Government, the trade unions, private sector and civil society is important enough, and the fact that they have specific measurable targets to meet and monitor is noteworthy. The preamble to the agreement signed last Wednesday says the partners acknowledge "the urgent national and social crisis the country presently faces, evidenced by an unsustainable debt-to-GDP ratio, declining rates of productivity and competitiveness vis--vis trading partners, high unemployment, high energy costs, environmental degradation, gender power imbalances, growing inequality and very high levels of crime ... ."

The partners say they believe that "nothing short of a nationwide transformation of people and institutions around performance, accountability, gender equality, individual and collective responsibility, respect for the human rights and civil liberties of all Jamaicans, tolerance, and maturity in conflict resolution will account for the realisation of a more equal, safe, secure, and prosperous Jamaica for all".

Philosophy of development

This is a fine partnership document which demonstrates much thought, and the University of the West Indies pro vice-chancellor, the Harvard-trained Professor Alvin Wint, has to be commended for the work he did in fashioning this document and for his significant role in this partnership process. What is impressive about this partnership document is its balance and comprehensive philosophy of development. There is no narrow, economistic perspective. There is attention to gender, the environment, the social agenda and poverty, along with economic issues.

The partners pledge to "redouble efforts to finance and implement appropriate justice reform recommendations, engage key stakeholders and publish the recommendations and progress with implementation so that the public is fully aware of the process." On poverty, the partners commendably said: "The increases in poverty rates in Jamaica, particularly since the onset of the global recession and the scope of the fiscal consolidation required to stabilise the Jamaican economy and create the framework for economic growth, dramatise the importance of ensuring that fiscal consolidation is accompanied by an enhanced programme of social protection to protect the most vulnerable Jamaicans such as poor, women-headed households, children living in poverty, the unemployed, persons with disabilities, the poor elderly, and the poor sick.

"The partners agree to monitor the effects of policies and programmes on the poor and to mitigate the effects of policies and programmes on the poor and to mitigate negative impacts."

The partners also "commit to exploring avenues to develop venture capital as a useful vehicle for start-ups and early-stage enterprises which may carry high risks, but also high rewards." This is an important issue, and if the partners can succeed at this, that would have big positive spin-offs.

The partnership agreement has specific targets to do with reduction in the murder rate, the debt-to-GDP ratio; Jamaica's ranking in the World Bank's ease of doing business, as well as rates of unemployment, economic growth, and levels of energy diversification. The prime minister has chosen the most appropriate person to coordinate the partnership effort - the highly likeable, respected and gentlemanly Ambassador Burchell Whiteman, loved by both political parties.

Working closely with Whiteman is another affable, even-handed, fair-minded person, Professor Wint. He delivered an excellent presentation at the partnership signing on Wednesday, which exemplified his non-partisan and affable spirit. He paid tribute to all our political leaders, starting with Hugh Shearer. Burchell Whiteman and Ward Mills, formerly of GraceKennedy, now with the Public Sector Transformation Programme, who all are well placed to carry this partnership programme forward. They are well respected by the partners and, indeed, the Opposition. They are persons of credibility, probity and integrity - which is extremely important in our trust-deficit society.

But there is need for a wider social partnership, and this one has to involve the Opposition. I recently mentioned it in a private conversation with Andrew Holness. There is need, for example, for him and Portia Simpson Miller and Peter Phillips to stand on one platform and explain to the Jamaican people why certain decisions have to be taken and why certain options are out.

There is considerable agreement between the PNP and the JLP on certain key economic and social issues. Don't mind the political cass-cass and grandstanding. Just carefully read the speeches of Andrew Holness, Audley Shaw, Portia Simpson Miller, and Peter Phillips.

What the private sector and civil society must do is to use their power to get the political leaders and the finance minister and his counterpart, Audley Shaw, to travel throughout Jamaica and address the people in town hall meetings on the substantial areas they agree on. Both of them agree that we must cut our crippling debt-to-GDP rate. They agree our exchange rate can't be artificially fixed. They agree there has to be wage restraint in the public sector.

PAINFUL ADJUSTMENT

The JLP might even be more radical in terms of public-sector reform and the need to lay off more state workers. They must say so clearly. The PNP and JLP agree that we need an IMF agreement, which necessarily means painful adjustment. Both parties on the same platform must tell the people that.

The top private-sector bigwigs, along with civil-society heads, must demand that both parties have joint town hall meetings, rather than the Government going to tell the people one thing and the Opposition holding political meetings in the same town to tell them something different, from a political platform - when they are really saying the same things on some critical issues.

To me, that is more crucial than even signing an agreement and having the partisan business as usual.

The country's private sector and civil-society leaders must demand that the politicians stop fooling up the people and giving them false hopes. The politicians have little effective power and are subservient to the International Monetary Fund. They must let the people know that our independence has been compromised. And will continue to be until all of us make sacrifices and change our habits.

It is partly because of some of the unreasonable demands of the people themselves why we are in this mess. Politicians have been playing to populist demands. It is a vicious circle. It is in their interest to tell the people the truth and to educate them that it's madness to be taking out loans for Dream Week! Boasting about having 'tutty-grand bed and tutty-grand dresser', and showing off big flat-screen TVs in squalor while demanding that Government give them this and that is partly what has brought us here.

The Government and the Opposition must stand on one platform to tell the people it's time to make our Independence meaningful by changing our unproductive ways.

Ian Boyne is a veteran journalist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and ianboyne1@yahoo.com.