Opposition senator, Colonel Trevor MacMillan has suggested that the leader of the opposition be consulted on all decisions to appoint members of public boards.

Col MacMillan, delivering his maiden contribution to the annual State of the Nation debate in the Senate on Friday, gave that suggestion as one of three which he said could help to reduce the competition over scarce benefits which bred tribalism.

“I am strongly suggesting that on every board that is appointed by a minister, that the leader of the opposition be formally invited to recommend at least two people for membership,” Senator MacMillan urged.

He also proposed that representatives of the National Housing Trust (NHT), and not politicians, should be responsible for handing out keys and certificates for government houses, after they were built and that a National Housing Commission, similar to the Electoral Commission, be established in light of the importance of the provision of housing.

He also urged both political parties to revisit the recommendations of the James Kerr-led National Committee on Political Tribalism published in July 1997.

The former Jamaica Defence Force officer and police commissioner, who was recently named a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) senator to replace Norman Horne, suggested that the competition over scarce benefits was stronger among party supporters than parliamentarians.

Expounding on his ideas, MacMillan said that in respect of the James Kerr Committee, those recommendations that were not accepted by both political parties should be re-examined by parliamentarians and the public.

“I beg to suggest that if those recommendations had been accepted and implemented, a number of recent problems would not have arisen. That’s the first thing I am asking. Let’s go back to the Kerr Committee. They made some very powerful recommendations and it impacted on politicians to a great extent. Let’s look at it. Let us see why they can’t be implemented now,” he said.

On state board appointments, the senator noted that Government boards, committees and commissions were usually appointed by a minister with the approval of Cabinet. But he insisted that these bodies were not the personal properties of the minister.

“These bodies represent the best interests of the people of Jamaica, not the governing party, whoever that party may be,” said MacMillan. “However, tradition has been that these boards are loaded with persons who are not necessarily party members but in many cases are aggressive in respect of their support. This does not mean that some of the appointees are not honourable persons with high levels of competence. However, in my opinion, the current manner of appointments encourages tribalism.”

He gave as an example of a workable commission, the current Police Service Commission, adding that the current appointees had the blessings of both sides and it worked.

“I am strongly suggesting that on every board that is appointed by a minister, that the leader of the opposition be formally invited to recommend, at least, two people for membership. This will, in my opinion, make the activities of the bodies more transparent and improve the trust and confidence in these bodies that members of the public ought to have,” he said.

Further, he argued that the NHT must remain the main vehicle for the provision of housing but that the composition of the board be widened.

“And when houses are completed, and the keys are being presented to the new owners, this must be done by members of the NHT staff and not politicians. So as to prevent the impression that it is the politicians who have given these persons their new houses when, in fact, it is the contribution of every single person in Jamaica who has contributed to the National Housing Trust,” he said.

“I go further. The allocation of houses and housing are such important matters, and such a critical matter for particularly lower income people and poor people in Jamaica, that there is no reason that there should not be a National Housing Commission similar to the Electoral Commission, an independent body. I strongly advise that this be done.”

He vowed to pursue his suggestions with the JLP members of both the House and the Senate.

Big role for postal service in Cricket World Cup

Jamaica’s postal department will be playing an important role in the hosting of Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 next March, according to Kern Spencer, the junior minister in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce.

“We are awaiting approval for the printing and sale of special postage stamps to commemorate the event and are also awaiting a response regarding arrangements for the postal service at Sabina Park, as well as the use of the Central Sorting Office (CSO) at South Camp Road as a parking venue,” Spencer said Friday in the State of the Nation debate in the Senate.

He said that the CWC organisers and the postal department had agreed to provide a distribution outlet at the Central Sorting Office for tickets and armbands, at a cost to be negotiated.

Senator Spencer said that among a number of successful strategies being employed by the department was a joint venture agreement with Cable and Wireless and Air Jamaica to provide Internet services, phone cards and to distribute Air Jamaica brochures in the Falmouth and Ocho Rios post offices, as well as at a booth at Sabina Park.a

He said that the ministry had ordered a Hi-Scan x-ray scanning machine (6040i) from the United States, which was capable of scanning postal items to ensure security, safe transmission of mails and to avoid contraband items.

“It provides a safe and quick means of detection of dangerous objects in parcels, briefcases, bags, etcetera,” he said.

But he warned that for the staff, it won’t be business as usual.

He said that with the Ministry of Finance’s approval of travelling allowances to be paid to postmen who own their own motorcycles, three postmen have already began operating under this facility from the CSO, as well as the Whitfield Town and Cross Roads branches.

“I gather that other postmen are in the process of finalising arrangements for the acquisition of motorbikes and, I believe, this augurs well for the future, especially with the possibility it holds for faster mail delivery,” he said.