KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Leader, Dr Peter Phillips, has urged members of his recently appointed shadow cabinet to use the next three months to refine and finalise their programmes to be implemented by the next People’s National Party (PNP) administration.

Delivering the charge to the new shadow cabinet at its first meeting, yesterday, Phillips urged the members to quickly settle the membership of their task forces to prepare and accelerate the plans to be implemented by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies after the next general elections.

He said the PNP would be ready by January 1, 2020, for national elections and as a result, it was important for the Shadow Ministers, the party’s Policy Commission, the Covenant Team and the Manifesto Committee, under Vice President Damion Crawford, to be prepared by completing the policies and programmes by such time.

Phillips noted he would be meeting with the sector teams over the coming weeks as part of the preparatory work.

He said the economic and production ministries including Finance, Industry, Agriculture as well as Mining and Energy will be the first areas, followed by Land, Education, Environment and Infrastructure.

The opposition leader further noted that there would also be consultations with the people through town hall meetings, to be organised by the Covenant Team.

He pointed out that there was no good economic news to come in the short term due to the effects of the closure of the Jiquan Steel Alpart Alumina Plant in St Elizabeth, and the prolonged drought.

According to Phillips, despite Prime Minister Holness, “possibly returning from Asia with a bag of goodies, it would not immediately put money in the pockets of suffering Jamaicans”.

The Opposition Leader told the Shadow Cabinet, which will meet twice monthly, that it would operate on the principle of collective responsibility and members should be aware than anyone who speaks is speaking for all.