Shaw says PNP practicing political dishonesty

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is accusing the People's National Party (PNP) of what it calls political dishonesty for its criticisms of the party's performance in office from 2007 to 2011.

The Opposition was responding to the presentation yesterday by PNP president, Portia Simpson Miller in which she said Jamaica was fast becoming a pariah in the international community under the JLP.

PNP president, Portia Simpson Miller said up to 2007 when her party lost power after 18 straight years in office, the economy was growing while unemployment and poverty rates were below 10 per cent.

However, she claims all the positive developments crumbled under the Jamaica Labour Party and the country was in shambles when the PNP re-assumed power in 2011.

However, Simpson Miller did not mention that at the time when the JLP administration was in power, the world economy, on which Jamaica is very dependent, was hit by the worst economic recession in more than 80 years.

Although then finance minister Audley Shaw had suggested Jamaica would not have been badly affected by the recession, the bauxite and tourism industries suffered, spending and exports fell and unemployment increased.

Yesterday Shaw said the JLP would be responding to Simpson Miller’s assertions although he did not say when.

 Meanwhile, political analyst, Kevin O'Brien Chang, says while PNP has been selective in its representation of the JLP’s time in office, it is up to the JLP to set the record straight.

Chang says political parties will always highlight the facts which are favourable to them.

He says it is the JLP that must ensure that the public is fully aware of its achievements while outlining the factors that affected its performance.