The opposition JLP is fast asleep !

Had the JLP been in power and the current party in power been in opposition, it would have been hell and powder house in Jamaica .

There was no way the rank disrespect of the Jamaican people by the JLP would have been allowed as it is today under the PNP. Neither could the JLP sidestep certain processes required to get any bill passed, no matter how important it was without feeling the heat from the PNP and its  many commentators.

The PNP has  largely been given a freehand to mismanage the country and civil society barely murmurs now and again, when a specific policy hurts them, but for the most part its “run with it”.

The opposition spokesmen are mostly asleep (with the exception of a few) and they (the JLP) have done nothing to rally the people against this “wicked and uncaring government”.

Where is the opposition on  ” fiscal deficit can’t eat and people can’t sleep on balance sheet”?

Where is the opposition on alternatives to the energy crises?

Where is the opposition of the rapid increase in suicides as the economic crunch continues to destroy lives?

Where is the opposition of the destruction of the middle class and the horrors stories of the poor, who cannot access medical attention and the basics things required for the preservation of human dignity?

Where is the opposition on the “leaderless/ruderless ship” called Jamaica?

Where is the opposition on the double speech(es) on the exchange rate?

Where is the opposition on what’s to come as part of our agreement with the IMF?

Where is the opposition when you need them most ?

Where is the opposition of the job losses gripping the country ?

Where is the opposition as the country barrels down the road of another recession ?

Someone wrote that this blog has done more for the JLP that the JLP for itself, how come ?

 

Mr Holness needs to either shape up or ship out. Jamaican yearns for a strong opposition and right now Andrew Holness is NOT offering that by virtue of his approach. Enough of the nice guy thing Andrew, step up and start acting like a leader in waiting vs a man who is willing to be run over by a rampant and marauding PNP government.

Its time for the opposition to start working, working working vs sleeping , sleeping, sleeping.

We need a PSM in opposition 🙂

 

What was the cause of the island-wide power outage on March 30, 2013

The OUR in a release dated Apr 2, 2013 said :

(KINGSTON, Jamaica: April 2, 2013): The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has
indicated to the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) that it expects to have a report by noon Friday April 5, 2013 on the power outage which occurred on March 30, 2013 shortly after 2 p.m.

 

I have searched but is unable to find a copy of get any details on this power cut. I may have missed something, so if the OUR or any member of the public reading this can direct me to that report or part thereof, I would really appreciate it.

 

 

Its time for Portia Simpson Miller to step aside !

It is patently clear to even the blind that PSM and other members of her cabinet are  in way over their heads  as it relates to governance of Jamaica and she should set the tone by stepping aside and ride off into the sunset.

Mrs Portia Simpson -Miller clearly cannot handle the job she fought so hard for and should do the patriotic thing for her country, by stepping aside and allowing someone more competent to lead the charge.

Following her out should be the following ministers:

1. Robert Pickersgill
2. Omar Davis
3. AJ Nicolson
4. Roger Clarke

I hope the New Prime Minister will shift Peter Bunting to Investment and Commerce, move Anthony Hylton for Foreign Affairs, Julian Robinson to National Security and promote a junior minister to the Ministry of Agriculture and Transport and Works.

This I believe will Jamaica a fighting chance to survive.

 

 

Nowhere to hide ?

The passage of the amendments to the Revenue act of 1985 updated 2011, will seek to address the gross imbalance that exist between tax collection from PAYE individuals and the “Mr Bigs” in the society most of whom pay little or no taxes at all.

The tax situation is Jamaica is nothing short of disgraceful, with piles and piles of taxes being placed on those currently in the tax net, while approx 50% of the rest of the society gets a free ride. This amendment is intended to address this inequity.

For far too long the 50% tax complaint population in Jamaica have been paying for the 100%, many of whom lives a life of opulence and gorge themselves on imported luxury items, while putting extreme pressure on the dollar to meet their voracious appetite for the finest imported items. Its full time these folks be draw into the tax net, so the burden on the rest of us can be reduced.

The threat of capital flight is merely hogwash , which is solely intended to cause “panic” in the financial markets, but the simple fact is tax havens are disappearing very fast and there  are very few places  left  to hide their funds.

I must commend the PNP lead administration for taking a bold step in correcting this gross inequity which have existed for a very long time and they should ignore the empty threat of capital flight.

At the same time more needs to be done to improve the process of paying taxes, its way too complex and way too much time is spent standing in lines to pay taxes.

The process must be made simpler and it must be done in a hurry because with this new change, it should see more people making their way to the tax collectorate, which means even longer lines, more wasting time and increased loss of production hours.

The amendment to the TAJ Action March 2013 was done to address this and we wait to see if their are any improvements in this process.

http://www.japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Tax%20Administration%20Jamaica%20Act,%202013.pdf

The act which was amended is noted below, however I do not have the amendments.

http://www.japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Revenue%20Administration%20(Amendment)%20Act,%202011.pdf