PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller last night launched her party’s 2007 election manifesto, targeting first world status, or a quality society, for Jamaica by 2030.

“The party’s goal is for Jamaica to achieve developed country status, within this generation, so that our people will enjoy all the benefits of living in a quality society,” the prime minister promised.

She said that the main planks of this effort would be: Constitutional reform; governance and justice; public order, security and safety; wealth and job creation; environment, land and development planning; an energy revolution; education transformation and training.

The launch, held at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston, started half-an-hour late primarily due to rain. But the prime minister arrived nearly two hours after the scheduled start due to engagements with visiting Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

While the audience, which was made up overwhelmingly of PNP supporters, awaited her arrival, Dr Paul Robertson introduced several of the People’s National Party’s (PNP) candidates for the August 27 general election, while Dr Omar Davies, the minister of finance and planning recalled some of his achievements.

After being welcomed, the prime minister immediately proceeded on a near one-hour speech which focused on her party’s performance in office and the highlights of the manifesto.

She quickly dismissed claims that the PNP was in a dilemma because it did not have a manifesto, but a document of achievements.

The prime minister also stuck to her numerology, saying that to detail her party’s achievements and plans would take about “seven days”, and deciding to stick to the “seven pillars” of the manifesto.

“The full list is long and encouraging. It would take me seven days to complete,” she said to loud applause. “If I took the time to outline my vision for Jamaica it would take us a very long time: seven days.”

The prime minister said that a “quality society of a developed country”, or the first world status that a PNP government would target would involve: The rule of law, guaranteeing human rights and justice for everyone; a stakeholder society offering access to high quality education and training, affordable health care; proper shelter; a safe and secure environment; and a real stake in the economic and political future of the country.

“My own vision for Jamaica is for all our people to live in a well-ordered society that affords equality, justice, freedom, peace and prosperity to every single citizen,” she said. “It is the only way we are going to have mutual trust and respect, which are the foundations for social peace and progress.

She said that the manifesto embodies her vision for Jamaica, as well as the party’s goal for Jamaica to achieve developed country status within this generation, so that the people will enjoy all the benefits of living in a quality society.

Towards achieving this status, the manifesto promised to:

. increase the rate of GDP growth to 6-7%;

. double per capita GDP within 10-12 years;

. reduce youth unemployment by 30%;

. improve the human development indicators by 5% per annum for health, education, social welfare and the environment over the next decade.

She said that her government would be committed to constitutional reform based on a constitution which creates a republic, establishes the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final court of appeal and introduce an “updated” charter of rights.

In terms of national security she promised: a case management system to reduce court backlog; reorganise the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP); add 4,000 persons to the police force; and upgrade the police training school at Twickenham Park to a university; and implement and upgrade the police forensic laboratories to world-class standards.

In terms of the modernisation of the justice system, the manifesto promised an independent court services agency, answerable to Parliament and under the direction of the chief justice, to help ensure the independence of judiciary.

As far as Highway 2000 is concerned, the PNP promised the development of the corridor as a development zone, including a gateway at Vernamfield and expansion of Spanish Town and May Pen as commercial, civic and heritage centres.

The function was chaired by the party’s chairman, Robert Pickersgill. Dr Peter Phillips, a vice-president, who chaired the manifesto committee, spoke on its development.