Just when we were all led to believe we were turning the corner in accountability, transparency and getting rid of the political pork barrel phenomena, the government has embarked on probably the largest political pork barrel that has ever been conceived in this country.
I was truly embarassed today when I read the selection criteria to be used to select persons to eat from the trough.
Read this taken from the Gleaner.
In the meantime, the junior minister, in the earlier interview, sought to explain how the JEEP would work.
“The selection of the workers is done through the members of parliament from both political parties along with the National Solid Waste Management Authority,” Azan said.
“The MPs have about 640 picks,” he added.
Jolyan Silvera, the MP for West St Mary, said he has included the names of people from all political sides.
“I have always spoken about the inequality that was taking place. There was no proper balance, it was just leaning to one side. I have gotten my quota and I have struck a balance and I think it will work,” Silvera toldThe Gleaner.
50-worker quota
The PNP MP said his quota was 50 workers and, based on consultations with councillors in his constituency, 10 of the people selected are supporters of the JLP, five did not vote in the last election and 35 were PNP supporters.
Wow, I honestly thought we were pass this, but sadly I was wrong !
This is a national disgrace to put it mildly, I never imagined we would see such blatant display of political victimization, which does nothing but open the divide between Jamaicans and in so doing creating a polarized society in the process.
I honestly thought the program would be based on the needs of persons ie the poor and destitute who would be getting jobs, now it turns out that all you need to be is a party supporter and ” you gone clear”.
Filed under: Politics |
Warren's Blog 
Davies: JDIP Funds Almost Used Up
The project is in its second year even though the programme, which is to rehabilitate and build roads across the island, is to last for five years.
“Let me make it abundantly clear, speaking on behalf of the administration, that we will not accept this situation,” Davies said.
Opposition MP Everald Warmington said if Davies’ revelation about the near depletion of JDIP funds is correct, it would be scandalous.
“I don’t take that back if that is so,” Warmington said.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=34783
PATH Racket Uncovered
The Auditor General’s Department has uncovered grave irregularities in the distribution of the benefits under the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education(PATH)in Manchester.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=34792
Oink Oink Jay?
Concordia’s invisible US owner branded ‘a disgrace’
Angry consumer groups are demanding to know why Micky Arison, the billionaire head of Costa Cruise’s Miami-based parent company, Carnival Corporation, has failed to make an appearance on the island of Giglio, where passengers’ bodies are still being dragged out of the wrecked Costa Concordia.
Meanwhile, yesterday, the La Repubblica newspaper, commenting on Mr Arison’s low profile, asked: “Who is this mysterious boss and how has he managed to remain like a ghost since the tragedy?”
“He failed to appear at the scene. How hard is it to hop in a Gulfstream jet and fly to Rome and then head over to the island of Giglio?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/concordias-invisible-us-owner-branded-a-disgrace-6294059.html
Looks like Arison a stay pon di MAINLAND.
Floridian, I had the same reaction when I read the healine and then read what was posted. I though … JDIP and millions of US $$$$. Then ???
For the record let me say that I am not in favour of politicians in charge of giving out work, evenly distributed or otherwise. Neither am I in favour of the CDF. I think that’s the role of state agencies. An Mp should lobby for things to be done and se that they are done instead of to be seen as the one with the “tread bag”.
Banks in offshore locations such as the Cayman Islands and TCI have an even greater duty of care to the public because unlike the US and certain other countries their deposits are not guaranteed by the Government.
http://www.tcijournal.com/newsite/content/jan-25-2012-publication-accounts-banks-and-good-governance-chris-johnson
Think and Check?
Britain facing boom in dishonesty
New study reveals dramatic decline in private integrity; Public trust in politicians and business leaders hits fresh low
The British people are becoming less honest and their trust in government and business leaders has fallen to a new low amid fears that the nation is heading for an “integrity crisis”.
The portrait of a nation increasingly relaxed about “low-level dishonesty” emerges in a major study seen by The Independent. Carried out by the University of Essex, which will today launch Britain’s first Centre for the Study of Integrity, it suggests that the “integrity problem” is likely to get worse because young people are more tolerant of dishonest behaviour than the older generation. The new centre will look at issues arising from recent scandals such as phone hacking, MPs’ expenses and the banking crisis.
A separate “trust barometer”, published by the PR company Edelman, shows that two out of three people do not trust politicians to tell the truth. Trust levels in MPs from all parties slumped by 36 points to 4 per cent after last summer’s riots. People also lost confidence in the young and the police.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-facing-boom-in-dishonesty-6294132.html
The important thing about dishonesty is that we should try to be honest about it
Classical philosophers hoped to be able to show that virtue aligned with personal well-being or flourishing. It would be nice if this were true, but in far too many circumstances it isn’t, unless like Kant you posit an afterlife where all accounts are balanced. In the real world villains certainly appear to flourish, although the pious amongst us may hope that deep down they do not sleep easy.
It is better to realise it is a social and political achievement to make sure that honesty and trustworthiness are in peoples’ own interests. Not, however, an achievement that bankers, policemen, MPs, prime ministers, journalists, or even priests are out to protect. That would sound too much like public service – and nobody in their right mind believes in that any more.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/simon-blackburn-the-important-thing-about-dishonesty-is-that-we-should-try-to-be-honest-about-it-6294110.html
Stanford’s defence: only ‘bogus’ fraud charges blocked my cricket masterplan
As opening arguments unfolded yesterday, it became clear that both sides intend to make Mr Stanford’s sponsorship of Twenty20 cricket a major focus of the trial.
“He told them lie after lie after lie. He stole from them so he could live the lavish lifestyle of a billionaire and he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.”
he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.”
he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.”
he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.”
he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.”
he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.”
he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/stanfords-defence-only-bogus-fraud-charges-blocked-my-cricket-masterplan-6294156.html
I think you know why” he bribed the people whose job it was to detect such a scheme.” is highlighted Jay…
hahahaha..think and check ehh? We will see….
BTW..Llewellyn and Panton have not worked out the now infamous “missing OLINT files” yet?
Waiting for it to go away? Waiting in Vain?
Yeah that is disgraceful Jay. But I suppose on the humorous side one can say we HAVE turned a corner in accountability and transparency since the political pork barrel projects are now thoroughly transparent and all the pork is being openly accounted for! If you don’t laugh you have to cry.
Given all the scandals by both the PNP and JLP it’s probably time we gave up the facade and humbly petitioned Britain to take us back. Or maybe Canada will have us. Hmm….there is that project in Honduras which will have special development cities or regions or whatever which will be roughly along the lines of that “charter cities” idea. Honduras will Mauritius in it’s project, maybe we could apply it here and have Canada be involved.
The only way to avoid this is to take it out of the hands of the politicians, period. In the meantime I appreciate the transparency of the MP and also the fact that a deliberate effort is being made to include all sides as I would rather the truth than a convenient lie any day. Until then, our third way, our Jamaican way, is perfectly acceptable once all pigs get a chance at the trough rather than waiting for some miracle to occur through the power of jawboning without civic cohesion and display of strength.
There is this common misconception that there are more corruption when Politicians are directly involved than when programs are administered by State Agencies. If you check the record, you will find discover the large scale fraud and corruption taking place in many State Agencies. The long-service civil servants are responsible for more fraud that all Politician combine. BTW, even in private enterprise, there are massive amount of fraud/theft of company resources. Jamaicans by their very nature are con artist and I can provide thousands of cases to support that conclusion.
For instance, Joseph Hibbert was accepting brides from the bridge building firm Mabey & Johnson for years before he was elected MP. Same is true for the multitude of operatives within the various Parish Councils throughout Jamaica. If you want to identify the main culprits and the level of income derived from their unethical schemes, just review their international travel itinerary.
Why now did we expect this to end when the jlp was doing it no one was saying it should end, i know that two wrong dont make it right but if you hold one to account then it is fair to hold the other so thats where i am coming from, nswma use to take ppl from kingston to work in the pnp strong hold in the rural area but nothing was mention by this site so it seem unfair to now come out and speak now that the shoe is on the other foot so check yourself ppl remember, if the jlp did win the election and it was going the same way would anyone know, jay shed some more light on jdip, who pay mannatt, who is going to be extradited, the parish council, hoe bad debt increase by 46% and the foreclosure of 212 up from 8 in 2010 why is now those information coming out