Apparently the Jamaican Government has not learnt from past mistakes. I am taken aback at the Government’s decision to cut the budget for mining and metal exploration by approximately 55 per cent — from $4.3 million this fiscal year to $1.9 million next year. The reason given is that they want to give space to the private sector for investment in mining in light of the revelation by the Minister of Mining Phillip Paulwell, that Jamaica has “very good prospects for gold           and copper”.

If the minister genuinely believed this, and considering the high price of gold on the global market, why would he leave such a valuable commodity for foreigners to reap the benefits? Is it that they are so bent on selling? Is there no future plan for economic development here?

The assets, properly managed, that could have earned the country billions of dollars in revenue have all been divested. Bauxite, sugar, and the national airline are all casualties of the lacklustre, care-free governance that has plagued this nation over the years, and there seems to be no shadow of turning. The Government sells the ownership rights of the people and signs away our future with a smile and shaking of the hand. The people of Jamaica are underpaid and overtaxed with very little representation, and neither have claim to equity nor the profits generated from our land.

Gordon Robinson in his Gleaner commentary ‘House of promises’, stated that “Jamaica’s children have no economic hope. They can’t leave home (migrate) unless prepared to live in bus stops…Sacrifice to educate children to tertiary level is fruitless as, jobless, they’re forced to eat their shiny new degrees, diplomas and certificates for lunch.” A statement ever so true and one with which I couldn’t agree more.

Are we of no value to our government? Our leaders seem incapable of seeing beyond the tip of their noses. Development is surely taking place but it is of an incurable case of acute, chronic economic cataract. I’m not purporting that the PNP Administration has done nothing good; they have passed seven IMF tests and that should count for something. They seem more stable than the JLP, which is, at the moment, our only alternative — imploding — may not be an alternative at all. They are good at half-truths, which are better than full blown lies, if there’s such a thing.

The minister of national security seems to be on to something. I must say Bunting has outdone himself with this portfolio being a finance/investment expert. But I’m begging the Government to reconsider its economic growth strategy and not to divest anything else, enough is enough. It is time to turn over those assets, drive productivity, and earn, not sell out to pay tomorrow’s bills. That’s gross short-sightedness which leaves us only to beg — a path that seems to be most preferred above all else.

The continued onslaught of taxes will not soon fix our economic woes; the other aspects of economic growth need to be explored and developed so that we can earn our way out of poverty. The finance minister continues to tell us that the austerity measures now are necessary to set the country on a path of economic growth later. But the solidity of his words beg scepticism, as our leaders have the habit of speaking empty words and giving false hope only to prove their ineptitude and incapability to put their money where their mouth is. The fact of the matter is we have been sold out and have nothing to show for it except arrogant politicians bathing in our tax dollars. With the sale of Petcom looming, there is not an end to the “sell out Jamaica” attitude in sight.

drvlllowe@yahoo.com