THE Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) yesterday tore into the manifesto launched by the ruling People’s National Party (PNP), saying behind the glossy pages and stock photos of a Jamaica that does not exist under the PNP’s Gvernment, “there are more of the same promises that have been made time and time again.

“The one difference is the fact that every new election their promises get more expensive,” the JLP said.

According to a release issued by the JLP, “the PNP’s manifesto comes with a huge price tag but little State resources to fund this extravagant expenditure. So who’s going to be on the hook to pay for PNP’s promises? As usual, the Jamaican people.

“Our people can no longer afford this Government. For far too long the PNP has used the Jamaican people as an ATM. Jamaica deserves a new Government with fresh ideas that will modernise and grow our economy, not the Government. We cannot continue to increase Government spending while people struggle to feed their family,” said the release.

The Opposition party said it understands that an economy works better when people decide how to spend their own money, which it said has been outlined in its” Partnership for Prosperity” with the Jamaican people in its 10-point plan:

• Establish a Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation to facilitate speedy investment.

• Create jobs through expansion of the Junior Stock Market.

• Grow economy by abolishing personal income tax for everyone who earn a gross salary of $1.5m or less.

• List public companies on the Jamaica Stock Exchange so citizens can invest in their realistic plans for growth and development.

• Fix the water problem to reduce the impact of drought on the economy as well as to boost agriculture and housing construction.

• Reform the NHT, the Housing Agency and the Mortgage Bank to expand affordable housing construction and reduce interest rates on mortgages.

• Create a special council of investment ambassadors to bring large investors to Jamaica.

• Establish a National Apprenticeship Programme and a National Service Programme to train our unemployed youth.

• Digitise all government records, and business processes to improve the efficiency and accessibility of government.

• Revitalise and rebuild town centres and cities.

“Jamaicans deserve better than what the PNP offers in their manifesto. Their failed ideologies of the past have held us down long enough. Together, we can build a better Jamaica through a partnership for prosperity,” the party said in its release.