A-Z of JLP Failures

THE A-Z OF JLP

FAILURES & SCANDALS Arrogance

X Public Services Commission dismissed by Golding because it recommends as Solicitor- General, Dr. Stephen Vaccianie, against whom Golding has a personal political grudge X Transport Minister verbally abuses airport staff when his security personnel breach regulations by carrying weapons on a flight; Reported to have said: “This is my airport and I will lock it down if my security cannot carry their weapons on board”

Broken Promises

X More than 85,000 jobs lost since 2007 contrary to JLP election promise of “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” X Portmore toll increased by 100% in two years after JLP promised to reduce it X Audley Shaw promises to triple nurses pay, and to increase pay for other public servants, then declares teachers would get “not one red cent” more

Criminal Connection?

X ‘Dudus’ Coke Affair: PM & Minister of Justice plunge country into 9-month crisis trying to block extradition to the US of now confessed criminal leader of Shower Posse, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, a JLP supporter and financier, who has received billion of $s in Govt contracts. The criminal affiliate of the JLP, who was wanted in the US for importing guns into Jamaica and trafficking drugs to the US, is now in a US prison. More than 73 people killed, police station burnt as police try to arrest ‘Dudus’ and armed criminals repelled them from Tivoli Gardens. Police find ‘Dudus’ in car of JLP-connected Pastor, who is later on a gun charge; ‘Dudus’ saga hurt international image & reputation of Jamaica X Golding announces in Parliament that he knows nothing about the hiring of US firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips (MPP) to lobby US Government to drop extradition request, then confesses he ordered the hiring of the firm. He refuses to say who provided the US$50,000 to pay MPP X Allegations of gun running and murder against JLP MP & Minister James Robertson X James Robertson “rescues” wanted man from the Police in St. Thomas X Shooting at JLP conference, and again at hotel in Mandeville after Andrew Holness’ speech: “When JLP buckup, people get shot up” X Cuban Government accuses JLP Government of aiding drug smugglers

Corruption or what?

X Auditor General (AG) uncovers irregularities in US$400 M (J$ 36 B) JDIP road programme – missing roads which have been paid for, breach of procurement guidelines in selecting contractor and subcontractor X J$100 M spent from JDIP road funds to renovate office; $60 M in imported furniture for office refurbishing; Person connected to Govt Minister gets sub-contract X JDIP project hidden from Parliamentary scrutiny by entire Cabinet despite PNP insistence it be placed in the budget X Minister of State for Transport and Works & JLP MP, Joseph Hibbert arrested and charged in investigation by British Serious Crimes Sqaud for allegedly taking £100,000 in bribes from UK Bridge Building firm, Mabey & Johnson X Fraud uncovered at JUTC; Contractor General implicates JLP appointed Chairman

X Contractor General uncovers irregularities at Caymanas Track Limited X NSWMA files destroyed in mysterious break-in and fire X $18 million seized from ‘Zekes’ disappears under Audley Shaw’s watch X 500 truckloads of Sand stolen stopping a multi-million investment; Report goes to Cabinet and there is a cover-up. Former JLP official says a Minister of Government is involved X JLP Senator gets land valued at $168 Million at Ferry, St. Catherine leased at peppercorn rate X Contractor General cites irregularities in sale of UDC downtown building, General Manager removed X Daryl Vaz’ company gets $400 million tax write-off X Wife of Minister Daryl Vaz buys $70 million dollar FINSAC house for $45 million X Brother of Daryl Vaz gets preferential tax treatment

Disrespect

X JLP State Minister and MP Everald Warmington tells journalist to “go to hell” on national TV X Minister Robert Montague verbally abuses Matron of Portland Infirmary on national TV X Vaz pleads guilty to abuse of Portland Police in incident shown on national TV X Information Minister Vaz accused of hurling expletives and abuse in public at female journalist X Minister of Labour Pearnel Charles threatens to disrespect trade unionist on TV X Prime Minister calls teachers extortionists

Economic Mismanagement

X 90,000 net jobs lost October 2008-July 2011, a reversal from 101,400 net jobs created 2003-2007 (STATIN/PIOJ) X Unemployment rate climbs from 9.6% in 2007 to 12.3% in 2011 (STATIN) X The poverty level has jumped to near 20% under JLP from 9.9% in PNP time, with over 540,000 people now living below the poverty line.

X Inflation rises from 5.7% under PNP Government in 2006 to 16.8% in 2008 and 11.7% in 2010 (STATIN) X After recording real GDP growth of 3.2% in 2006-2007 with PNP leadership, the economy fell into 4 years of decline with JLP in Govt.

X JLP Govt hiked interest rates from 11.85% in Sept 2007 to 24 %, which led to an increase in debt service charges from $126 Billion in 2007 to $184 Billion in ‘09, triggering the Jamaica Debt Exchange (JDX) initiative, a technical default on local debt repayment X The debt-to-GDP ratio has shot up to 140% under the JLP having been reduced to 108% in 2007 by the PNP X Exchange rate slipped from J$72 to US$1 in September 2007 to J$86.50 to US$1 today, X Foreign direct investment flows collapsed to US$201 million in 2010 from US$1.7 B in 2007 under the PNP X The national debt grows by 66% from about $990 billion in 2007 to 1.6 Trillion now X Fall in Overall Global Competitiveness Ranking from 67th out of 122 countries in 2006 to 107th out of 142 countries in 2011 X Fall in Macroeconomic Stability Ranking from 118th out of 122 countries in 2006 to 142nd out of 142 countries (dead last) in 2011

Free Health Care announced by Govt but service is unavailable

X Patients wait all day & get no attention; Health personnel inadequate & overworked X No medicines available; Chronic shortage of equipment and ambulances Free education proclaimed by Govt. but parents have to pay higher auxiliary fees and find more money for books

Giveaway of national assets

X Air Jamaica;Sugar companies X Planned giveaway of Dunns River and other national heritage sites

Human rights record of JLP Govt is poor

X Increase in killings by the police X JLP Govt proposes to extend time a person can be held without charge

Incompetent

X Govt tries to buy arms from a dealer not authorised as a weapons dealer X Textbook Fiasco: In 2009-2010 students went a full term without books X Tourism Minister breaches government policy in US$4.5 million American Airlines deal

James Robertson intervenes and removes a wanted

man from Police custody. The man was later arrested on a gun charge. After all of that Robinson is promoted.

Killing the people with high taxes

X $60 Billion in new taxes imposed; Gas Tax; Increased GCT; Tax on Cigarettes & Alcohol X Higher Motor Vehicle Tax; Higher Property Tax; Tax on Energy Drinks

Lies

X Andrew Holness distorts economic facts over and over X Golding lisleads Parliament & the nation about Manatt, Phelps & Phillips (MPP) X Golding says Harold Brady, who engaged MPP on behalf of the JLP Government is no longer a JLP member, JLP General Secretary says Brady is still JLP member X Shahine Robinson declares that she does not have US citizenship but later removed from Parliament prompting by-election when Court finds that she is a US citizen X National Security Minister denies foreign involvement in Tivoli incursion while PM says US Department of Homeland Security surveillance plane flew over Tivoli at the time and provided support to ground troops

Murder of women jump by 30% in 2008

X Crime falls by 40% after security forces dismantle criminal network based in Tivoli as they seek to arrest ‘Dudus’ Coke, whom JLP Leader and then PM tried to protect from extradition X Three Ministers of National Security and three Police Commissioners in two years

Neglect

X Health system rundown and in chaos; Education system in turmoil X Roads across Jamaica neglected despite wastage on JDIP

Oppressive

X Government policies oppressing the poor, workers, middle class, and business class

Politicisation of the Public Service & Police Force

X Firing of professionals in public service and replacing them with handpicked political appointees X Many professionals have left the Attorney General’s Office because of its politicisation

Quarrelsome

X Government in repeated fights with Public Services Commission, media, police, teachers, nurses, firemen, Contractor General, Auditor General, pharmacists, doctors, government lawyers, taxi drivers, truckers

Regional Commitment is lacking

X JLP opposes Caribbean Court of Justice

Scandals

X OCG questions Sandals White House sale X OCG cites irregularities involving Government senior officials in LNG bidding process X OCG recommends criminal charges against Danville Walker, former Commissioner of Customs, following Customs’ permitting scrap metal exports in breach of Ministerial Order banning the trade

X Minister of Energy, James Robertson is forced to resign after US Govt cancels his US Visa and that of his wife X OCG cites irregularity in the award of government contracts by the St Catherine Parish Council to Strathairn Construction Company Limited, as firm connected to JLP MP Everald Warmington

Transparency & Trust are absent from governance under the JLP

Urban Development Corporation loses money for the first time since 1989

X Initial reports are that the UDC has lost millions X Carpet and chairs in UDC’s care go missing at Montego Bay Convention Centre X OCG cites irregularities in sale of building at Parade at less than the market value and in breach of Govt. procurement guidelines

Victimisation

X Unfair dismissal of public servants who served in the previous Government X Minister of Local Government tells voters to vote JLP or they won’t get roads fixed X Minister and MP Everald Warmington says people will not get hurricane relief unless they vote JLP X Schools run by past and present Presidents of the JTA targeted for investigation by education and financial ministries and accusations of irregularity made public before school administrations advised

Waste of the people’s money

X Refurbishing offices ($53 million on MoBay JTB office, $8.4 M for Minister of Tourism office in Kingston with 1 chair costing $77,000; $60 M from Port Authority Pension Fund to fix House for Mike Henry , who justifies lavish spending saying “I am not accustomed to living in squalor” X $1.9 M per month consultancy fee paid for divesting sugar factories/ sugar workers earn less than 5,000 per week X Energy consultant paid $3 million per month while minimum wage earners get $400 increase to $4,500 per week X 50-person Government team to Beijing Olympics led by Babsy Grange X $3.14 billion cost overrun by 46 Government companies in 2008-2009 fiscal year X Mount Rosser Bypass cost overrun of US$26 million and project incomplete X US$60 million to dualise airport road at Palisadoes

X - Put your x the beside head

VOTE Youth neglected X

X X X X X

In 2011, of $1.9 Billion recurrent budget for the Ministry of Youth & Culture, only 4% or $83 million allocated for youth development programmes 2011/12 capital budget for youth ministry cut by over 60% Funding for youth programmes cut Plans to expand Youth Information Centres shelved NYS budget cut by more than 60% Number of youth trained by the NYS declined by 75 per cent, from 5,881 in 2007-08 to 1,431 in 2010

Zero economic growth, Zero Shame, Zero Integrity on the part of the JLP Printed & Published by the People’s National Party, 89 Old Hope Road, Kingston