Dear Editor,

I am a 20-year-old man and a second-year tertiary student of guidance and counselling. I wish to use this forum to ask the leadership of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), in particular the party president, Andrew Holness, to clarify their position on our ailing economy.

I heard a tidbit of the JLP’s plan for the economy on August 31 2014 at a Bellefield, Manchester, meeting. Holness stated that the Portia Simpson Miller-led Government was only interested in passing the performance reviews of the International Monetary Fund in spite of the fact that some Jamaicans are getting progressively poor because of some of the Government’s economic policies.

Holness maintains that a JLP administration, under his leadership, would pursue similar fiscal management policies, but it would be a “people-centred growth strategy”. What is this strategy? What does it really entail? Would you sacrifice fiscal prudence? And, if this people-centred growth strategy of yours is the way forward for Jamaica, why not publish it so we could effectively scrutinise and obtain the benefits thereof?

I have researched the “people-centred growth strategy” and found that the concept of “people-centred development” places the ultimate objective of development in helping humankind lead an affluent and happy life. This idea was first embodied in the Human Development Report published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1990, which showed degrees of development of countries measured by human development index. The concept was supported at the World Summit for Social Development of 1995 and at a series of international conferences related to development held in recent years. Major concern inherent in the idea of people-centred development is whether or not the benefits of an enlarged economic pie brought about by economic growth would filter down to individuals in the form of increased employment and incomes. Its interest also lies in whether or not individuals would be allowed to partake in the process of development of their own accord. People-centred development has thus become a central theme in the international community in the 1990s when development issues are discussed.

I am not a novice to the concept, but I believe that Jamaica needs to hear how this strategy will be applied in our context, seeing that this strategy will be given priority if you were to form the government. Should you, then, not meet with Minister Phillips and enlighten him on the benefits to be derived from this strategy so that there could be an implementation of this strategy? From all indicators the Government seems open to suggestions for Jamaica’s advancement.

Mr Holness, the Jamaican economy is recovering from several epileptic seizures, however, in my observation, we seem poised for some amount of greatness. Let’s highlight these areas: business process outsourcing (call centres) has seen steady growth in the foreign direct investment and there are increased outputs in the manufacturing sector despite the high energy cost. I am of the view that if Jamaica continues on this path we should see a reflection of these endeavours in our employment figures and, more importantly, our GDP and GNP figures. There has been, too, a slow but steady decline in our balance of payment deficit, so Jamaica has been able to reduce her food import bill with the emergence of the agro parks despite the initial problems faced by our farmers. Could the people-centred growth strategy be applied to these areas to bolster our economic growth? If yes, Mr Holness you’re bound to issue Jamaica that dosage of penicillin to fix our economic state, whether or not you are Jamaica’s physician now. We await your action.

My better judgement tells me not to trust you because you’re a politician, but my heart says you will act in good faith in the interest of the people of Jamaica.

Abde Lee

Students’ Council President

Jamaica Theological Seminary

Abde.lee@jts.edu.jm