PEOPLE’S National Party (PNP) President and Leader of the Opposition Portia Simpson Miller has defended the proposed Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP), which she announced at last Sunday’s annual party conference.

Speaking at a meeting of the PNP’s National Executive Council at the Montego Bay Convention Centre today, Simpson Miller said the JEEP programme was only one of a raft of policy proposals which the PNP would be presenting to the nation to create jobs, spur investment, stimulate economic growth and ensure prosperity for the all the people. She pointed out that elements of the emergency employment programme had been contained in her contributions to the Budget Debate in Parliament since 2009.

She added that she would be saying more about the programme directly to the people of Jamaica at a later stage.

“JEEP is the engine that will propel the PNP’s Progressive Agenda,” the party leader told members of the PNP’s NEC. She said the proposal was indicative of the progressive tradition of the PNP, which she said has always sought to address and provide solutions to the problems of the people of Jamaica.

Simpson Miller noted that under the Jamaica Labour Party, the country was headed in the wrong direction.

“Prices are up, investments are down, employment is down, business closures are up,” she noted. 

Commenting on the criticism of the jobs proposal by members of the Government, Simpson Miller said their response resulted from the absence of solutions by the Government.

“Don’t blame the PNP for thinking, for our progressive agenda, for progressive thinking, for using our energy to find solutions, for doing something about job creation.” she said.

She said the PNP was very concerned about the instability in the country and pointed out that the reports of the prime minister’s intention to resign that post and allow his party to select a new leader was symptomatic of a Government in crisis.