People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding believes Jamaica is “drifting on a sea of lawlessness and despair”.

In fact, at a press conference on Tuesday, the Opposition leader slammed Prime Minister Andrew Holness for starting the new year by engaging in what he described as “emotional manipulation”, instead of “steadying the ship” and resolving the issues facing the nation.

According to Golding, the country started the new year “facing great perils, as the four C’s [crime, corruption, COVID-19, and cost of living] dominate our daily lives”.

“Violent crime continues to stalk the land, with 37 Jamaicans murdered in the first week of the new year,” he said.

The Opposition leader said, too, that the coronavirus pandemic has entered another phase.

“The COVID pandemic has entered a new and dangerous phase, with a spike of new infections resulting in the health system coming under severe pressure, with hospitalisations rising, even while many doctors, nurses and health care workers fall sick with COVID,” he said.

On the matter of corruption, Golding said it is a “constant feature of public life”.

“There is a constant flow of scandals [involving various Government agencies], but there is a total absence of accountability as scarce public resources needed to fix roads, provide health care and restore the education system are ripped off with impunity,” Golding alleged.

He also pointed out that the cost of living keeps rising, creating an “unbearable situation for many Jamaicans”.

“It is a time when the nation needs calm, reassuring and credible leadership, with a clear vision of hope for a better country and a clear pathway for taking us there,” charged Golding.

He added: “Unfortunately, the prime minister has started the year by indulging in emotional manipulation of the public at a National Day of Prayer, aggressively disrespecting the media at a press conference, pushing an unnecessary and ill-advised squabble with the Maroons of Accompong, and gaslighting the public about the Opposition’s position on states of emergency.”

He then proceeded to ask a series of questions.

“Are you clear where our prime minister is leading our country? Are you clear about our national direction and destination?” Golding asked, adding, “I believe that when Jamaicans ponder those questions, the answers will be a resounding, ‘No’.”

However, the Opposition leader was not finished, as he continued to rip into Holness’ stewardship of the country.

“Instead of steadying the ship by addressing the major challenges facing our nation, the prime minister has sought to deflect attention from them by announcing a reshuffle of his Cabinet,” he contended.

Turning to the issue of crime, Golding reminded that the Opposition has long been calling for the use of zones of special operations (ZOSO) to restore peace and order in violence-torn communities that are out of control while using the police and the military, without “unconstitutionally taking away citizens’ rights of access to the courts by permitting extensive periods of detention without charge”.

“Central Kingston has been under siege from gang warfare for over a year, and very little was done to stop the ongoing murders as calls for a ZOSO from over six months ago were ignored.

“We are glad that the Government has finally responded to the call, although we question the exclusion from the ZOSO in Central Kingston of two small, adjacent communities which are integrally involved in the gang warfare there,” he indicated.

The PNP president remained adamant, however, that the Government is “clueless” as to what to do to bring the situation of crime under control.

“But what is the overall strategy for dealing with the problems of law and order in our country? There is none. Jamaica is drifting on a sea of lawlessness and despair,” suggested Golding.

To tackle crime, the Opposition leader is advocating for a balanced approach by using ZOSOs wherever they are needed, and strengthening mechanisms such as the Peace Management Initiative, which, he said, have proven to be effective when adequately resourced to defuse conflicts on the ground.

Additionally, Golding is calling for a reintroduction of violence prevention programmes like ‘Unite for Change’ to “steer youths away from badness by investing in them to become productive citizens with hope for their future and opportunities to help build their country.”

https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/golding-rips-holness-says-ja-drifting-sea-lawlessness

Opposition Leader Mark Golding has expressed that the people of Portmore, St Catherine should be allowed to decide by way of a referendum, if the municipality should become Jamaica’s 15th parish.

Golding, who is also the President of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), made the call on Sunday as he addressed the party’s 83rd annual conference in Kingston.

He accused the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) of wanting to “split off Portmore as a separate parish from St Catherine because it would suit their political ends.

“But will this benefit the people of Portmore?”Golding asked as he highlighted that unlike other parishes, Portmore is lacking in certain amenities, namely parish courts, a cemetery, a market and a hospital.

“Yet the Government is rushing to make Portmore a parish without any of those things in place,” Golding asserted.

“Why does the Jamaica Labour Party want to make Portmore the only parish without those facilities?” he asked.

According to Golding, the position of the PNP is that “The people of Portmore must be consulted fulsomely on any such move. Ultimately, the decision on whether or not to go that route must be theirs via a referendum. Let the people decide, don’t leave it to the politicians.”

Golding argued that presently, Portmore residents have the benefit of the community being Jamaica’s only municipality. This, he said, gives the residents the legal right to directly elect their own mayor… a right that does not extend to any other parish.

“Why would you want to deprive them of that right?” he said.

Despite his call, the Opposition leader’s preferred route to parish status for Portmore could be a mute point, as in September of this year, the Joint Select Committee of Parliament reviewing the proposal for the municipality to become Jamaica’s 15th parish approved the plan. The move now awaits final approval from Parliament, where the JLP has a huge 49-14-seat margin.

https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/golding-calls-referendum-decide-parish-status-portmore

Opposition Leader and President of the People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding, has said the Government should consider offering incentives such as food packages to Jamaicans to boost the country’s flagging vaccination programme.

Golding has also reiterated that he is not in support of mandatory vaccination.

“I do not think that, as a practical matter, the Government can force adults to take the vaccine,” he said Sunday as he addressed the 83rd annual conference of the PNP via Zoom.

Golding argued that a large segment of the population is “reluctant or even outright against being vaccinated”.

He added that “Many people still fear and distrust the vaccines, and trying to force these people to take them is just impractical at this point, and it would only fuel serious tensions in the society.”

According to Golding, in the absence of a properly managed distribution programme, and serious limitations on access to vaccines, mandatory vaccination is unworkable.

“How can the Government mandate the taking of a vaccine that is not readily available and accessible to many Jamaicans?” he asked.

The Opposition leader noted that other countries have achieved high levels of vaccination through making vaccines highly available “and backing that up with solid information to educate their people about it, and that’s what should be happening here”.

He also suggested that “Jamaica needs a powerful PR (public relations) campaign which clearly explains in a balanced and credible way, the clear benefits of vaccination, while at the same time addressing the relatively rare risks involved”.

Golding said the Government must also counter the false arguments that are based on the misinformation that is pervasive on the internet.

“We also think that incentives should be provided to encourage persons to take the vaccine. These benefits should be provided immediately upon an individual being vaccinated.

“A voucher, redeemable for food items, would serve the dual purpose of bringing up the vaccination numbers and also providing relief for families that are struggling to survive in the harsh economic climate,” said Golding.

In claiming that the Opposition was not invited to participate in the national vaccination programme, Golding urged the Government not to politicise the process.

“The prime minister is on his vaccination tour while the Opposition has been excluded from the process,” he remarked.

Continuing, he said “The politicisation of the national vaccination programme is the last thing that Jamaica needs. It should be a national effort with all hands on deck. We (the Opposition) remain willing and open to play our part (and we) endorse that vaccination is important to getting the country through the crisis that we’re in.”

https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/govt-should-offer-food-packages-get-more-jcans-vaxxed-golding

Leader of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) Mark Golding pledged his party’s commitment to righting societal injustices in Jamaica and ensuring that anti-corruption laws work effectively.

“The way in which the current prime minister’s orders under the DRMA [Disaster Risk Management Act] have been enforced during the pandemic has deepened the general belief that there are in reality two Jamaicas – one for the wealthy, the powerful, and the politically connected, and the other for ordinary Jamaicans who face the full brunt of these arbitrary and sometimes oppressive laws.

“This kind of deferential treatment undermines social cohesion, it breeds cynicism and resentment,” Golding said, as he addressed the public session of the PNP’s 83rd annual conference at the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC) on Sunday.

This year, the conference was held virtually due to ongoing COVID-19 safety measures.He said a PNP Government will be committed to making anti-corruption laws and institutions — some of which were conceptualised during the PNP’s last Administration – work for good governance of the country.“

The systems of accountability cannot exist only in theory, people must see them working so that they can believe that the rule of law applies to us all. Our policies must be about tackling inequality and investing in our people,” he said.

Golding said the party is now going through a process of transformation and renewal, and that various mechanisms are being established to facilitate this, including the democratisation of its internal election processes, the resolution for which has been approved and submitted to the regional groups for consideration.“

Why should every member of our party who is in good standing not enjoy the right to vote in party elections? The delegate-based voting system belongs to a bygone era and it is time to modernise the party by deepening the democratic principles by which we operate,” Golding insisted.

He also noted the establishment of a trust fund to assist party workers who have fallen on hard times, and that the 17-member junior shadow Cabinet is already dealing with policy issues and providing valuable insight and perspectives.

Golding asserted that the Jamaica Labour Party Government is rapidly losing ground, and the PNP is positioning itself to resume state power.

“Our next Government will resolutely and determinedly tackle the major issues facing the Jamaican people. It is time for all hands on deck, it is time for us to pull together as one team, united and strong. I’m confident that we are moving in the right direction,” the party leader declared. He reiterated some of the previous promises made by the party, such as removing the guarantor requirement by the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB), as well as capping SLB debts to 15 per cent of borrowers’ monthly salaries.

Golding renewed a call made by former prime minister and party president, Dr Peter Phillips, for the minimum wage to be increased to $12,500. He said a PNP Administration would be committed to ensuring a livable minimum wage, with annual increases in keeping with cost of living.

By Alphea Sumner
Observer reporter
saundersa@jamaicaobserver.com

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20211018%2FARTICLE%2F310189955

Opposition Leader and President of the People’s National Party (PNP) Mark Golding, has promised that a future PNP government will adjust the national minimum wage annually to reflect the rising cost of living.

At the same time Golding is urging the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government to honour the promise made by its then spokesman on finance, Audley Shaw, to raise the minimum wage to at least $12,000 per week

Golding made the pronouncements on Sunday as he addressed the 83rd annual conference of the PNP via Zoom, in light of restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In Jamaica, the minimum wage does not reflect the actual cost of living. We (the PNP) are committed to establishing a livable minimum wage so that people who are …employed are able to feed and look after their families,’ said Golding.
“The next PNP Administration commits to annual increases in the minimum wage to keep up with the cost of living. We will protect our workers,” Golding added.

He argued that minimum wage earners had been waiting for too long for an increase in light of the recent increase in the cost of living, in particular rising food prices.

The opposition leader took a swipe at Shaw, noting that several years ago he promised a minimum wage of $12,000 but failed to keep that promise.

“I’m calling on this government to move the current minimum wage to $12,000 and repair that broken promise that was made to the Jamaican people,” Golding said.

Last increased in June 2018, the national minimum wage stands at $7,000 per week and $8,854 per week for industrial security guards.
While he was Opposition spokesman on finance in January, 2016, a month before general election which the JLP won on February 25 that year, Shaw called for the minimum wage to be pegged to the United States dollar at US$5,000 per annum.

Based on the exchange rate at the time, a worker would earn approximately J$604,000 per annum or about $12,500 per week.

-Lynford Simpson

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20211017%2FARTICLE%2F211019675

“Jamaica desperately needs a sustainable solution to its problem of very high levels of violent crime”.

That is the pronouncement of Opposition Leader and President of the People’s National Party (PNP) Mark Golding. He made the comment on Sunday as he addressed the party’s 83rd annual conference via Zoom.

“It’s a desperate situation,” Golding remarked while highlighting that Jamaicans were being murdered this year at an even higher rate than last year.

Official Jamaica Constabulary Force statistics indicate that murders are up 10.4 per cent this year when compared to the corresponding period in 2020.

“Domestic violence is higher than ever. Violent crime is fed by a general lack of moral norms, discipline and behavioural standards which, as a nation we must address,” Golding told comrades. He said the fear and sorrow caused by such high levels of violent crime have sapped the hope of the nation.

And, he pointed out that there is a massive economic incentive to solving the country’s crime problem as a World Bank study has noted that crime results in a direct cost to Jamaica of nearly four per cent of annual gross domestic product. This is in a context where Jamaica “has failed to achieve constant annual growth of even two per cent,” observed Golding.

He said the PNP believes that a balanced approach will yield long term results in the sustained reduction of violent crime.
“It cannot be achieved by resorting to oppressive laws that abrogate the rights of our people,” he remarked.

The former Justice Minister in the last PNP Administration said that in his party’s last term in office which ended in February, 2016, programmes like United for Change and the strengthening of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) helped to reduce the murder rate by 25 per cent below where it is presently.

“We did it before and we will do it again,” he declared.

Golding promised that under a future PNP government there will be a well-funded national programme to provide opportunities for vulnerable youths to “get another chance to become productive citizens”.

He said the focus will be on mentorship, training, remedial education and job placements as well as the reinforcing of their life skills, building their self esteem “and building a sense of citizenship which must be at the core of every young Jamaican”.

While the JLP has largely moved away from, or downplayed programmes like the PMI which deputy prime minister and national security minister Dr Horace Chang has insisted have not worked, Golding is looking to strengthen those initiatives if/when his party returns to Jamaica House.

“There will be a strong emphasis on programmes that intervene in conflicts on the ground to avert escalation into the spiral of reprisals that often lead to more and more killings,” he said.

He told the conference that this will be accomplished by training and empowering 500 violence interrupters across Jamaica.
“That is our commitment,” he said.

Additionally, Golding said a future PNP Administration would also “intensify and broaden the use of mediation and restorative justice in communities. He promised that this would not serve merely as an adjunct to the formal justice system.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20211017%2FARTICLE%2F211019673

Residents of the dormitory community of Portmore, St Catherine should decide whether they want the municipality to become Jamaica’s 15th parish and should do so via a referendum.

That is the position articulated by Opposition Leader and President of the People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding. He made the argument while addressing the party’s 83rd annual conference which was delayed from last month and which was held virtually for the first time because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Golding also accused the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) of wanting to “split off Portmore as a separate parish from St Catherine because it would suit their political ends”.

“But will this benefit the people of Portmore?”Golding asked.

He noted that unlike other parishes, Portmore was lacking in key facilities/amenities such as a hospital, cemetery, market and parish courts.

“Yet the government is rushing to make Portmore a parish without any of those things in place.
“Why does the Jamaica Labour Party want to make Portmore the only parish without those facilities?” said Golding.

He said the position of the PNP is that the people of Portmore must be consulted fulsomely on any such move.

Ultimately, the decision on whether or not to go that route must be theirs via a referendum. Let the people decide, don’t leave it to the politicians,” Golding declared.

The PNP president noted that residents of Portmore now have the benefit of it being Jamaica’s only municipality which gives them the legal right to directly elect their own mayor…a right that does not extend to any other parish.
“Why would want to deprive them of that right?” he stated.

In September, the joint select committee of Parliament reviewing the proposal for Portmore to become the country’s 15th parish approved the plan. That plan is now being fine-tuned before it is sent to the  Parliament for final approval.

While the plan was approved, there was no input from the parliamentary opposition as most of its members were absent from the committee meeting where the approval was given.

-Lynford Simpson

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Portmore_residents_should_decide_via_referendum_whether_the_municipality_should_become_Jamaicas_15th_parish_-_Golding