Dear Editor,

The slogan of the PNP during their election campaign 13 months ago was ‘People Power’ — a very good approach as it reminded the public they had the power to remove those they deemed unfit and replace them with more competent persons.

One year into the rule of the PNP, the people are again reminded that election slogans are just that — slogans. Whilst the people’s power was sought to gain an election victory, the PNP has ensured that they are powerless to impact the direction of their society.

AJ Nicholson declared there doesn’t need to be a referendum to change the final court of appeal for Jamaicans. This as the election results were a referendum for the PNP to effectively ‘run the country’ as they deemed appropriate. Guess the people handed over all their powers on December 29, 2011.

Portia Simpson Miller informed us she will not talk her way out of power, hence she refuses to speak to the population on matters of national importance. The people don’t even have the power to gain the prime minister’s attention. However, she was quick to chide Mugabe and send condolences immediately to victims in the USA. At least she said thanks for the election victory. Guess she will begin to speak again in 2016.

Bobby Pickersgill, ironically PNP chairman for life, says the Cabinet is comfortable and has performed well. This despite even the staunchest Comrade expressing dissatisfaction with the state of affairs. Guess the people are not only powerless but their opinions don’t count.

Lisa Hanna promised a national broadcast on the Jamaica 50 celebrations twice and failed to show. This without a proper explanation of the circumstances surrounding her cancellation. A grand opportunity to unite the nation was lost in finger-pointing and poor planning.

Phillip Paulwell started with a bang and got phone rates down to the delight of the masses. However, when the ‘powerful people’ got the JPS monopoly overthrown, his Cabinet took the people to court. Guess the people cannot get away with any display of power after all.

Peter Phillips, well, his leader promised an IMF agreement in two weeks. Fifty-two weeks later the people are still waiting. A budget that was over a month late with taxes aimed squarely at the patty-eating power, a dollar that’s moved from being a rock to a rolling stone, and unions asking for their pound of flesh would move anyone to tears. I feel your pain, sir.

While ministers drive in new luxury SUVs (some because 2007 vehicles were too old), the powerful people will now be paying more for bus fare. This whilst the Honourable Minister Omar Davies challenges the powers of the OCG as that office is impeding the Government’s progress by asking for transparency.

The power of the people has vanished only to be replaced with egos and incompetence of the highest order. Onethird of the nation remains poor, and are subjected to salary freezes and rising prices. Elections are not the only time we the people have power, and until we realise that we will continue to endure hard time and poor leadership.

The media, the church and the middle class owe it to the less intellectual among us to ask hard questions and demand transparency and accountability from those who lead us.

People power needs to move from a slogan to action. The Government works for us, not the other way around.

Richard Boswell

jamaicasfinest969@gmail.com