A-Z of JLP Failures

THE A-Z OF JLP FAILURES

T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

A: Arrogance, Authoritarianism

• Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Robert Montague verbally abuses Matron of St. Mary Infirmary on national TV. • Daryl Vaz verbally abuses Port Antonio Police in full view of the media and the nation.

• JLP politician turned Air Jamaica Chairman, orders flight on the runway to return to departure gate for a friend who was late.

• Public Service Commission fired by Prime Minister because it recommends the appointment as Solicitor-General, Dr. Stephen Vaccianie, against whom Golding has a personal political grudge.

• Transport minister abuses airport staff when his security personnel breach regulations by carrying weapons on a flight.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

• JDF HQ to be relocated from Up Park Camp without public consultation.

• Public sector salaries frozen without consultation after pay increase promise.

B: Broken Promises

• More than 120,000 jobs lost since 2007 and none created contrary to JLP election promise of “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”.

• Portmore toll increased by 100% in two years after promise to reduce it.

• Audley Shaw promises to triple nurses’ pay and then says Government has no money to pay them • Public sector workers’ wages frozen.

Big Man Government • Only the rich benefitting from Government

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

C: Criminal Connection?

• Dudus/ Coke extradition delay.

• PM and Attorney General/Minister of Justice plunge country into 9-month crisis as they tried to block extradition of alleged criminal Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, son of former Shower Posse leader, ‘Jim Brown’.

Coke, a big JLP supporter and financier, was wanted in the US for importing guns into Jamaica and trafficking in drugs.

He is the Don of Tivoli, the heart of Bruce Golding’s West Kingston constituency.

73 people killed, police station burnt as police try to arrest ‘Dudus’.

• 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 that he ordered the hiring of the firm.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

PM refuses to say who provided the money to pay MPP. • Allegations of conspiracy to murder against James Robertson.

• Robertson “rescues” wanted man from the Police in St. Thomas.

• Shooting at JLP conference: “When JLP buck up, man get shot up”.

• Cuban Government accuses Golding Government of ignoring drug smugglers.

• Minister of National Security tells Coke/ Manatt Commission of Enquiry that criminals conspiring by telephone to bring illegal guns into Jamaica and to smuggle cocaine and marijuana should be allowed privacy to do so.

Corruption or What?

• JLP Minister of State Joseph Hibbert named in Mabey & Johnson Bridge

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

Building £100,000 Bribery Investigation, Contractor General rules that criminal charges should be brought against Hibbert.

• Government lends millionaire Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart US$32.5 million to buy hotel in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, which was built with taxpayers’ money.

Sale done in secrecy and without tender.

Contractor General cites irregularity and possible corruption.

• Sandals executive given two jobs as JTB Chairman and Tourism Director.

• JUTC fraud: Contractor General points to JLP appointed Chairman and Managing Director.

• Contractor General discovers irregularities at Caymanas Park Limited.

• JLP activist and failed candidate Joan Gordon Webley has contract to receive millions of dollars in bonus as head of NSWMA. 7

T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

• State Minister for Local Government Robert Montague’s secretary collects foreign exchange for trip she never made.

• $18 million seized from Zeeks disappears from Financial Investigations Division under Audley Shaw’s watch.

• An entire beach in Trelawny is stolen stopping a multi-million dollar investment. Report goes to Cabinet and there is a cover-up. Former JLP official says a Minister of Government is involved.

• JLP Senator gets land valued at $168 Million at Ferry, St. Catherine leased at peppercorn rate as a bail-out. UDC Board fired and new one installed to make this possible.

• Daryl Vaz’s private company gets $400 million tax deal.

• Radio licences given to JLP sympathisers without bidding.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

• JLP activists and defeated candidates named as Board chairpersons.

• Head of Customs says cold storage facility owned by a Government Minister is “Grave cause for national security concern”.

D: Disrespect, Dictatorship

• Golding’s treatment of Public Service Commission.

• Bobby Montague verbally abuses Matron of St. Mary Infirmary on TV. • Vaz pleads guilty to abuse of Port Antonio Police in incident caught on tape.

• Information Minister Vaz allegedly hurls expletives and abuse in public at female journalist (Managing Editor of The Sunday Herald, Christene King).

• Minister of State Everald Warmington verbally abuses TVJ and CVM Journalists.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

• Minister of Labour threatens to disrespect trade unionist on TV. • Prime Minister calls teachers extortionists.

E: Embarrassment

• Bruce Golding and the JLP have been an embarrassment to Jamaica and Jamaicans.

• Wikileaks revelations, Dudus saga hurt international image and reputation of Jamaica

Extra-judicial (State/Police) Killings Increase Every Time JLP in Power.

F: Free But Unavailable Health Care G: Greedy

• JLP Goverment made up of greedy politicians 10

T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

H: (Poor) Human Rights Record

• Increase in killings by the police.

• PM proposes to extend time a person can be held in jail without charge.

High Prices oppressing the people I: Incompetent

• Government tries to buy arms from person not authorised as a weapons dealer.

• Education in a mess.

Inflation: • Jumps from 5.8% in 2007 to 22% in 2009.

• Runaway price increases J: Job Losses

• More than 120,000 lost; No new jobs created.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

K: Killing The People With High Taxes.

• Increased GCT • Gas tax • Tax on cigarettes and alcohol • Higher property Tax L: Lies

• Golding lies about Manatt Phelps & Phillips.

• Golding says Harold Brady, who engaged MPP on behalf of the JLP Government is no longer a JLP member, then JLP General Secretary says Brady is still JLP member.

• Golding cannot be trusted to tell the truth.

M: Manatt Phelps and Phillips

• JLP abuse their power as Government and use State resources to protect Shower Posse leader designated by the USA as a Drug Kingpin and wanted for trial.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

N: Neglect

• Health system rundown and in chaos.

• Education system in turmoil.

• Roads neglected.

O: Oppressive

• Government policies oppressing the poor, workers, middle class, business sector P: Poverty Increase

• 9.9% in 2007 to 20% in 2011.

Politicisation of the Civil Service • Firing of professionals in public service.

• Appointing only JLP supporters.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

Q: Quarrelsome

• Repeated fights with Public Service Commission, media, police, teachers, nurses, firemen, Contractor General, judges, goverment lawyers, community health aides, and doctors.

R: Regional Commitment is Lacking

• Opposes Caribbean Court of Justice.

S: Standard of Living Falling

• Worsening according to Survey of Living Conditions.

• Salaries routinely paid late to public sector workers.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

T: Trust • They Can’t Be Trusted

Traitors • They have betrayed the people of Jamaica.

Transparency • Is a thing of the past.

Taxation • High taxes oppressing the poor, middle class and business sector.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

U: Unemployment

• No jobs created after campaign promise of “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”.

V: Victimisation

• Unfair removal of public servants who served in the previous Government.

• Local Government Minister tells residents they won’t get their roads fixed unless they vote for JLP Councillor.

• Water and Housing State Minister, Everald Warmington tells Old Harbour Bay residents they will not get hurricane relief cheques if they do not vote for JLP. • Schools run by past and present Presidents of the JTA singled out for investigation by education ministry and financial ministry and accusations of irregularity made public before school administrations advised.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

W: Waste Of The People’s Money

• Refurbishing offices ($53 million on MoBay JTB office, $8 million for Minister of Tourism office in Kingston with 1 chair costing $77,000; $60 million from Port Authority Pension Fund to fix House for Mike Henry).

• Squandering money from the Tourism Enhancement Fund.

• $1.9 million per month consultant fee for divesting sugar factories/ sugar workers earn less than $5,000 per week.

• Energy consultant paid $3 million per month while minimum wage earners get meagre $400 increase to $4,500 per week.

• 50-person Government team to Beijing Olympics.

• Large Local Government delegation to Bahamas.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

• $3.14 billion cost overrun by 46 Government companies in 2008-2009 fiscal year.

• Mount Rosser Bypass cost overrun of US$26 million and project incomplete.

• US$4.5 million deal with American Airlines to pay for empty seats.

• US$60 million to dualise airport road at Palisadoes.

X: Put Your X Beside the Head and vote PNP when next you vote.

Get rid of the failed JLP Government.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

Y: Youth Neglected

• No Youth Policy • No Youth Programmes • No Jobs • Youth cite poor performance of Minister, Babsy Grange and call for her resignation • Youth programmes axed from 2010-2011 budget Z: Zero

• Zero economic growth, zero shame, zero integrity.

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T H E A - Z O F J L P FA I L U R E S

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