This is a new Administration, so let’s put hands and hearts together as we have done this for 54 years. This is what we do — one Jamaica.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness can thank the People’s National Party (PNP) for the foundation on which he must build prosperity — this is our system. I am rooting for him as I can’t waste five years.

Nation-building is a relay, not a sprint, so the PNP gave him the baton, and later they will get the baton from him on cue. He comes to the job with a better profile than many — youth, energy; 53 years of data on what does not work, and Barbados and Singapore to prove it can be done.

We are proud of our first prime minister born post-Independence, and he must now justify our investment. High achievers of his time went into business or professions; he took another path, made mistakes, and he is who we have.

Moses was “slow of speech and of a slow tongue”, yet he was God’s man. Will he be like him? The Cabinet must now get to work as they stand on the shoulders of a team that won global acclaim. So the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) must achieve likewise with the prosperity agenda. Let’s stop looking through the rear-view mirror and go forward as one.

Part of the reason for the hard start is Andrew’s failure to affirm the progress made; reckless promises, random decisions, lack of cogitation, and trying too hard to be different. What is in our psyches that will not allow us to appreciate and affirm what a Cabinet before achieved? Slave mentality? Peeps say no as the election result was a shock to an unprepared JLP.

We must help him, as if he loses, we lose. Andrew is a watershed prime minister — a credit to free education, no more bastards or overlords, and as little Jamaica stood up to the USA (Manley sent their ambassador packing) he has no issues of identity or confidence; school feeding by USAID (bulgur, milk, cheese assured nutrition); he got health shots and drudged shoes. Much was invested in him and as our “first born”, he must now make us proud. Viva Andrew!

He may be forgiven for his new ministerial structure as a slim majority in the House means he has to pander to MPs who may cross the floor, given Pearnel Charles serves as speaker — a dead heat. The fractious are served; the sport lady may not have time for maternity leave; geriatrics placated; it’s a rough time for him. The private sector is investment, jobs and foreign partners are crucial. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is now run from his office to save face and build trust. How long can Fayval Williams be deputy finance minister for IMF affairs? To avoid a JLP meltdown he sacrificed our economic governance. Frankly, the PNP is the least of his problems.

The PNP is government-in-waiting and must stop navel gazing. If candidates were in communities working there might be disappointments but no surprises — get over yourselves! People feel you care if you pay them more for their votes — at least talk with them.

The JLP promised, but delivery is ‘breeding’ them and affairs of state suffer. I like bold moves, revolution; but Jamaica moves in increments, never a quantum leap. Michael tried, but each Cabinet builds on the one before. Bank of Jamaica, Development Bank of Jamaica, the stock exchange, etc, were not disruptive developments as they were picked from the global rack of freeware economic devices — no innovation or revolution by any leader. Andrew will also copy from the creative commons — he is no revolutionary — so let’s now see his plan, time frame, and strategy for prosperity.

To succeed he must get on-side shell-shocked PNP zealots and those who from disgust or ennui did not vote. The party did not “drop money” so many stood back, but jobs — aka hope — will attract them. Andrew should avoid inconsiderate, spiteful decisions and rely on data, analytics and be inclusive. His car policy for ministers had prudent intent, but he reaps a deficit of trust and no cost gains — it was not data driven.

The JLP is a party of convenience and now needs core mantras embracing altruism and duty so members cohere around more than money and power. His new ministries satisfy the venal, but they suck! Generic state responsibility may be grouped in five sectors — all are not equal — to cover all functions/ministries. This allows us to sync policy, communications, execution, and deliverables. Andrew uses purchase of cars by the drivers to punish one set of State employees and Minister Robert Montague uses it to incentivise another set — one Cabinet, two policies?

Two sectors crucial to the prosperity agenda are, first, production & wealth creation services sector: uniting bodies which enable, facilitate, and deliver goods and services locally and for export, as commerce, education and training, industry, mining, agriculture, tourism. Policy is monolithic and five superior ministers, each with a top CEO — one per sector — will do; then five to eight oversight ministers for key areas. Managers, jointly and severally accountable, will deliver results.

The same goes for the human development & communications services sector: uniting “quality of life” entities as health, environment, infrastructure, utilities, welfare. These two in the governance spectrum need the best ministers and managers to implement the prosperity agenda. More on others anon!

We cannot airbrush history, so honesty in public life matters. Holness wastes time trying to keep reckless promises. The one to create 250,000 jobs is cynical and cruel to the poor as Jamaica never created half this number, except in slavery. To double minimum wage and a tax break for earners of up to $1.5 million — to be paid on April Fool’s Day — is a cruel joke on black people.

Our half finance minister and former chair of public accounts was theatrically miffed that money was not there, while the other half minister smooches the IMF. Which one gets the bigger pay for doing Peter’s job?

Dishonesty costs. JLP and PNP must answer for persistent poverty and to dupe the poor earns a hotter hell. For a stable dollar and to prosper we must export more than we import — economics 101. This is not rocket science, so Andrew must explain the prosperity plan.

The PET will replace GSAT in 2017 and has a focus on critical thinking; it is a quantum shift and will benefit all of life. Voters who reason won’t be swayed by promises and politicians may not even try. A prosperity agenda is intergenerational, so Andrew must act. We will support good measures, be critical of bad ones, but get this leg of the relay done as competently as the last, and pass the baton with visible, measurable gains; maybe earn commendation from our crisis bankers the IMF and our foreign partners. We can do it. Stay conscious!

Franklin Johnston DPhil (OXON) is a strategist and project manager. Send comments to the Observer orfranklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com.