Give the JLP time
Published:Friday | December 10, 2010 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE NOW raging debate over the performance of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government, just three years in office, in comparison to the People's National Party's (PNP) 18 consecutive years in office is now bordering on hysteria.
The fact is, while accomplishing some things in a few areas, the PNP has been a colossal failure as a government overall. Any party able to hold power for more than 18 consecutive years and can barely find anything substantive to boast about must wheel and come again.
What is particularly surprising is the fact that even the PNP's 'achievements' tend also to be 'failures' in their own right. It is quite a conundrum. The grossly underutilised and highly costly Highway 2000 is one example. The saving of Jamaica by the 'FINSAC episode' is another.
Far from being perfect
On the flip side, the JLP, which is far from a being perfect in government, has failed to restore trust and civility to the political process. However, they have succeeded in stabilising the Jamaican economy after years of mismanage-ment, ill-thought policies and recklessness.
The global economic crisis only compounded a very bad situation; the management of our economic affairs deserves the highest of commendations. Also, for the first time in my lifetime, crime is going down, the agriculture sector is being expertly guided, and a sense of order is very slowly returning to what was once a doomed country for us all.
Things in general are on the up and up. I say give the JLP more time to prove themselves. They haven't done too bad at all.
I am, etc.,
SHARMAINE WILLIAMS