Letter of the day: Elections should be held more often
Published:Sunday | November 22, 2015 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Why is it we only manage to get things done during an election phase? I saw a ground-breaking ceremony for a new housing project, a transitional home for female wards moving out of government care.
This is a great move for the State to assist these wards with housing and training as they grow into adulthood and learn to be independent. The National Heroes Park is in the process of being enhanced. The park is truly becoming a gem and is often visited by world leaders.
There are new tourism projects and hotels in the pipelines, we hear, set to bring lots of jobs, and hopefully, more revenue - foreign currency especially. Roads and streets are being fixed and paved. The Jamaica Defence Force is now mobilised to work alongside the police to combat crime, which has been out of control for some time.
Add to that, the International Monetary Fund will relax the primary surplus target to allow Government to spend more, hopefully, in areas most needed such as health care, education and social services.
MPs are more active and visible in their constituencies and in the news. Even the Opposition has awakened from its slumber. Suddenly, we know who is who in the Opposition. We know all the spokespersons as they become more visible and outspoken and have something to say about everything.
I saw in the news, recently, where the University of Technology signed a new partnership with an organisation, Sutherland Global Services, that will lead to training and job placement for students of the institution. This should give students more hope and opportunities during a time when jobs are scarce and youth unemployment is especially high.
FANTASTIC NEWS
We hear that the Government is borrowing much less locally these days, which will free up more funds available for private-sector borrowing for investment and production, which should stimulate the economy. I heard about the new polytechnic college opened recently in Trench Town to provide Heart Trust/NTA and Caribbean Maritime Institute programmes in data operation, auto body repair, customer service, maritime studies, port operations and logistics.
This is all fantastic news, but why can't we see more of this all the time instead of the last quarter of the year, when it is very likely a snap election will be called? The timing of these projects and announcements could not be merely coincidental.
Every government should show it is creative and has vision, and guts, and is accountable all the time, and not just as a prelude leading up to an election. A government in power is expected to do all it can to be re-elected, but at the same time, it should never assume the electorate is naive and not too bright.