THE announcement of a $50-million sustainable development plan for the ailing parish of St Thomas has been labelled as election gimmickry by Jamaica Observer online readers. Here’s how the readers reacted to the announcement, published in yesterday’s edition.

Sweetbiscuits

And Peter Phillips will run the 100m at the next Olympics… and everybody in Jamaica will get free electricity … and UK citizenship … and America will become the capital of Jamaica … and sun will fall… and rain will shine… and pigs will fly.

Courtney Barrette

Election is imminent, so expect more announcements like this one.

Anedaediat

What innovative ideas can those old people have? Jokers!

John

Let’s just see where these plans go two years from now.

IMF2014

False promises.

hope2013

This is just another grand pronouncement. The only thing missing to cement this pronouncement is the minister of pronouncement, Philip Paulwell. As with all other grand pronouncements, nothing will happen. Nothing.

A.L.Smalling

Election time — the goodies are starting to be distributed. Politicians take the Jamaican people for fools. But then, the expectation bar is so low that they can’t see when they are being manipulated for votes. The never-ending cycle of mental slavery!

John

@ A.L.Smalling: That’s because most Jamaicans are indeed fools. This has been proven every election.

tellem

I honestly wish every Jamaican gets the opportunity to visit another country and probably they will understand the difference between mediocre and real prosperity.

Jayjayja

Delano is really applying the pressure in this parish and now they come up with a two-year plan, which I hope the people do not buy.

David

@jayjayja: You do know that one side of St Thomas has a JLP MP and the article says St Thomas in general.

Matlock2

LMAO! Election is near; here comes the pork-barrel politics. Just like Westmoreland, all sorts of miracles are going to happen to St Thomas in the months ahead.

jayjayja

The three-card men have now come to St Thomas. Anyone who believes that anything will happen, will believe that a film studio will be at the old Goodyear tyre facility.

Ellydeedo

@jayjayja: You’ve got it: no one will address the former Good Year tyre factory building that have cost so much money. That’s how taxpayers’ money goes away like gas in the air.

Peter Espeut

If the preparation of this sustainable development plan costs $50 million, what will implementing the plan cost? What is “sustainable” about this plan? Who is getting the $50 million?

brothermanne

Just another political stunt aimed at tricking the Jamaican people. The next two years will yield nothing substantial for the people of St Thomas, just wait and see for yourselves. The PNP, as usual, is big on all kinds of announcements that are devoid of substance and are grounded in reality. Another three-card trick, because [the PNP] intends to call an election more than a year before its due date. Even the blind should see that the PNP government is desperate about many aspects that speak to good governance and they think that a snap election is a sure way to retain power.

mccormacklindel

You fool me once that is on you, you fool me twice that is on me. After 26 years of PNP stewardship they are just putting together a development plan for St Thomas. Let me see if the people are going to buy this with elections on the horizon.

usa-on the outside looking in

Election time now, so the promises. I am wondering why Jamaican people so fool fool!

Luvbyrdz

Now I know why this is the poorest parish; dem people ya neva av a plan fi develop di parish. I think this is just talk as it is with the promised highway.

The Saint

More talk, heard this when I was 10 now I am 65.SMH.

jamekya

So $50 million for a plan that is going to sit on some shelf gathering dust? The people need real development. The majority of St Thomas looks like it is frozen in a time capsule.

John H Christian

Funny stuff this is…LOL.

gaw

I bet, Mr Greene, this plan will be forgotten right after the election. This $50 million is to try and help someone’s political career. While these goodly gentlemen in this picture get married to this political announcement, I would like to hear from them before and after the election on the progress, if any.

Born Suferer

Elections are a coming and all incompetent councillors and MP now want to make promises galore. They should promise to be better people instead. Only then will the people of St Thomas benefit.

A.L.Smalling

I am beginning to think that most of our people are political fools. Lack the knowledge to decipher political gimmicks versus reality. True wud, “promise is a comfort to a fool”.

Blessed

Another BIG promise which I do not have any faith in… I am so hopeless.

Jas

On the one hand I welcome the plan, but on the other I am puzzled as to why we are hearing that this is the first sustainable plan for the parish. Which begs the question: On what basis have the parish council and the member of parliament been working over the past many years?

Ken

Look at the picture; doesn’t that say something? Look how old these leaders with new ideas are.