Letter of the Day | Change of mindset needed for the country to develop

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Both political parties in Jamaica are invested in social justice and aiding poor people, but it’s time to get serious and appreciate that poor people won’t propel the country. Entrepreneurs and innovators will be responsible for Jamaica’s future prosperity.

Politicians think they are doing the poor a favour by investing in social housing and other welfare programmes, when, in reality, they are perpetuating an entitlement mindset. Too many Jamaicans indulge in bad choices and then expect politicians to defend their right to squat or sponsor the education of their children. Unfortunately, Jamaicans are so deluded by this welfare mentality that many inadvertently advocate destructive policies without recognising that they are doing so. Often, people recommend that struggling citizens contact members of parliament for assistance. Politicians and public personalities should use their influence to encourage Jamaicans to become productive citizens, instead of encouraging reliance on the State.

One way to do so is to change our expectations of politics. Usually, Jamaicans discuss the benefits they expect to receive from politics but they should be telling politicians what to do to ensure that we live more productive lives. For example, some complain that the National Housing Trust (NHT) is venturing into commercial housing. However, they are missing the point. As it currently operates, the NHT is a parasite, because workers are compelled to contribute to the trust even though many are yet to reap the benefits. If people want to buy a house, they can always take out a private mortgage. Like several government agencies, the NHT is a trough that can be raided for political purposes, and uninterested parties must not be coerced into contributing to this political cesspool. Similarly, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is another problematic fund. The meagre payments of the NIS cannot sustain people in retirement. However, those who are fond of the NIS should be free to contribute, but smarter people must not be forced to contribute to something that they don’t value. Additionally, the government must scrap the education tax, which currently helps to finance the Consolidated Fund. Serious people don’t want anything from the government, we just need more disposable income to save and invest our money. Lastly, employers must not be taxed to finance the HEART/NSTA Trust. According to the Auditor General’s 2020 report, the agency is not delivering and, frankly, funds are being wasted on remedial programmes when the agency should be tailoring more programmes in response to the needs of professionals and businesses. Moreover, relieving the private sector of the burden of contributing to the HEART/NSTA Trust won’t put a dent in its finances, because the agency is cash-rich and can always offer fees for its courses.

The HEART/NSTA Trust must be marketed as an institution for serious professionals rather than a place where loafers are subsidised to go to school.

A critical problem is that the Jamaican population is low in work motivation and productivity. For years, employers have been complaining that it’s difficult to get qualified individuals or people with the right disposition to work, and the issue is only getting worse. This unfortunate situation has escalated to the point where employers are even considering the importation of foreign labourers to fill the gap.

Therefore, if the PM is serious about improving the quality of the labour force, then he should reposition the HEART/NSTA Trust to train more people in the Caribbean and Latin America to secure Jamaican jobs. The truth is that Jamaicans are not oriented to work and, if they don’t evolve, they will continue to regress as foreigners flourish and become wealthy. Holness must leverage his influence to encourage Jamaicans to desist from being bums and idlers, because, with the current mindset, the country is set for failure.

LIPTON MATTHEWS