Mark Wignall | Who allowed Chinese mechanics to work?

Like many, I have been reading about the Chinese auto repair shops in the Corporate Area and St Ann. Customers rave about the quality of the repairs and stellar service received. I am not in the least surprised to read that the repair shop in St Ann is closed until further notice and that the repair shop in the Corporate Area has a cloud over it as to whether the mechanics are work authorised in Jamaica. The St Ann facility seems to have the same issue due to its sudden closure.

Make no joke about this. This is another example of brazen corruption in our homeland. If indeed the mechanics from China are not work authorised, it was quite brazen to operate the repair shops in such an open way with a guarantee that governmental regulators would conveniently absent themselves.

It is the year 2025, with mobile phones that have cameras and video and social media. How could anyone think that if the mechanics were not work authorised, that would go unnoticed? With corruption at the top of the Government and permeating all through the machinery, this is what can happen. Someone high up would have sanctioned this.

HOW MARK GOLDING COULD MAKE IT

“As you know, I am a PNP supporter. I especially support Mark Golding. I think he can be a great PM for Jamaica. He has integrity, intelligence, understands the issues, has no conflicts of interest, no taint of corruption, and like his father, has a genuine commitment to help the people of Jamaica and does not want to get elected to enjoy the trappings of power and live off the public trough. I cannot say the same for PM Holness.

“The JLP have been in power for nine years. In my view, they have not done enough to merit a third term. On crime, it is only in their ninth year of power that there is a significant decrease in murders. But other crimes are trending up such as agricultural crime, where criminals are using technology such as drones to carry out their sinister acts. So far, the JCF has no answer for that.

“Financial crimes such as what happened to Mr Bolt and at SSL are up and are more serious than ever. More criminals are walking free because the JCF is not up to standard in making cases in court. The JCF is currently quite proficient at killing alleged criminals, but prosecuting them in court is not the JCF’s strength. In addition, the JLP has repeatedly failed to resource the DPP and thus too many crimes are not prosecuted properly.

“As to healthcare, the results are mediocre at best. Healthcare in Jamaica is bad for the poor and needy. As to housing, well, the PM promised quite a bit of housing. The actual results are that the JLP has not delivered. In education, the JLP has not performed. Schools lack basics resources, like sufficient computers. The actual physical structures are not good.

“In infrastructure, there have been some big projects. But has that benefited the people of Jamaica? As for roads, the quality of the new roads is not good.

CASE AGAINST PM HOLNESS

“Finally, I turn to PM Holness. I submit he is not fit for office. He is not in compliance with his IC obligations. The IC Act of 2017, among other things, states in Section 3, and 3 a and b, “the principal objects of this Act are to further encourage and promote propriety and integrity among persons exercising public functions” and “promote and strengthen measures for the prevention , detection, investigation, and prosecution of acts of corruption”.

How can the PM even stand for public office when he has failed to comply with the IC Act of 2017. If Jamaica is serious about corruption, the IC ACT of 2017 should state “no parliamentarian shall be permitted to stand for office if they fail to comply with the Act”. The PM has had ample time to get his financial affairs in order and comply with the IC Act. He has willfully refused to do so. In fact, his response to the IC has been to sue the IC in court. Really? He should be considered unqualified and disqualified from running for office much less be PM of Jamaica.

THEY CURSE ME FOR CRITICISING THE PM

According to this well-known man, I have always supported the PNP and in the times I write to convince readers that I voted for the JLP, it is all one big, fat lie.

It makes no sense for me to say that I voted for the JLP in 2016 and 2020. Totally meaningless to me. Did I get the change I was seeking? In education, health, and corruption? No. Am I likely to vote JLP again? Yes, but it is not a surety.

Mark Wignall is a political and public affairs analyst. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and mawigsr@gmail.com.