An appeal from the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and other stakeholders to Opposition senators to support the extension of the Government’s states of emergency (SOE) until January 14 was met with both support and disapproval.

“To the question of the SOE”, said PSOJ President Keith Duncan in a press briefing, “if the police commissioner and the commanding officer of the JDF [Jamaica Defence Force] recommend a state of emergency, who am I to say that there should be no state of emergency? …then when I walk into these communities and I hear the people talk and they feel safer as a result of it… they actually feel some freedom to walk the streets, then I have to be supportive of the state of emergency.”

The motion by the Government, passed in the Lower House for an extension of the current SOE, was eventually voted down by Opposition senators last Friday.

But SOEs, while important in a crisis, will not address the root of the crime problem. Two years ago this column addressed the formation of the Crime Monitoring and Oversight Committee (CMOC), an independent body bringing together non-partisan stakeholders. CMOC, headed then by Jamaica Chamber of Commerce President Lloyd Distant, had established key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress, including proposed legislation, among them:

∙Approval of the outstanding Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) regulations by end of Q4 2020 (approved September 2021)

∙ Adding and prioritising approval of sections of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to include and strengthen the role of unexplained wealth orders and reverse burden of proof, enabling the seizure of assets from people who obtained their wealth through criminality and those found guilty of facilitating money laundering and other serious crimes, and ensuring that lawyers cannot be paid with proceeds of crime by Q4 2021 (approved)

∙ Prioritising the approval and gazetting of the regulations to the Public Bodies Management Accountability Act governing the nomination, selection, and appointment of boards of public bodies by end of Q3 2020 (not yet drafted)

Distant noted that there are outstanding matters for which CMOC is awaiting government feedback in order to reset targets.

Jamaicans are impatient of action. We have 15 ministries, in addition to the Office of the Prime Minister; 63 Members of Parliament; 21 senators; over 200 parish councillors; and over 50,000 civil servants. With so many swearing their service to country, why is Jamaica so burdened by crime, garbage, and corruption?

Dr Leahcim Semaj commented on social media: “Jamaica’s crime crisis is solvable. There are qualified and competent professionals in the areas of criminology, psychology, sociology, anthology, etc who could be called on. But politicians want to take all the credit, so they must take all the blame.” Let us acknowledge, however, that, similar to most organisations, there are efficient personnel in government ministries and agencies frustrated by the non-performers and, in some cases, fearful of victimisation or worse.

Whether it is because of poor governance and lack of accountability, their employers, the people of Jamaica, need to get their money’s worth. The macroeconomics are encouraging, but our poorer communities are suffering. Just last week a participant in the PSOJ STAR Project commented about the neglect and despair in inner-city communities.

Imagine, it is alleged that outgoing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament (MP) for St Ann North Eastern Marsha Smith was allocated $19 million from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for the current year and has only spent $3 million in a constituency which was particularly hard hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic as it depends heavily on the tourism industry. Lisa Hanna, outgoing People’s National Party (PNP) MP explained that the unspent $9 million in her constituency is reserved for infrastructure projects.

Can you imagine a poor mother wondering where she can find the next few dollars to buy breakfast for her children hearing about these millions? If we do not tackle the micro, it will erode the macro in no time. CMOC has put together a brilliant plan. It is past time for action.

HOUSEHOLD WORKERS SAY THANK YOU

President and founder of the Jamaica Household Workers Union (JHWU) Shirley Pryce and her executive held their Helping Hands Awards ceremony last Saturday to recognise individuals who have been supporting their cause over the years. They are Beverley Anderson Duncan, Helene Davis-Whyte, Patricia Donald-Phillips, Patricia Francis, Joan French, Clifton Grant, Joan Grant Cummings, Louise Finikin, Dr Rosalea Hamilton, Joyce Hewett, Joan McLeary, Fabian Mitchell, Carol Narcisse, Hilary Nicholson, Opal Palmer Adisa, Danny Roberts, Sharon Robinson, Rose Anna Smith, Linnette Vassell, and Judith Wedderburn. It is humbling to be counted among these concerned citizens, fellow never-get-weary advocates.

Congratulations to Shirley Pryce for expanding the JHWU islandwide and putting succession planning in place. Elaine Duncan, the first GraceKennedy Household Worker Champion back in 2014, is expected to take over the leadership of the union. And I recall the jubilation of Dr Verene Shepherd when Duncan was announced as the winner, which is a testament to her mentorship of her household worker who she had nominated for the award.

Household workers help us to keep our work-life balance; in turn, how are we helping them to keep theirs? The Decent Work Act passed by the Government, but is still to be implemented, gives protection against inhumanely long hours and unfair compensation. The least we can do is ensure our household workers are registered with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). As the JHWU finds time to thank us, let us make the time to show our gratitude.

NATIONAL HEALTH FUND

On behalf of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) we had a good meeting with National Health Fund (NHF) CEO Everton Anderson, Shermaine Robotham, and other NHF executives last week. We are raising awareness of prescription drugs subsidised offered by the NHF for people verified by their doctors as suffering from the following conditions: arthritis, asthma, breast cancer and breast cancer receptor studies test, benign prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes and diabetes programme, epilepsy, glaucoma, high cholesterol, hypertension, lupus, ischaemic heart disease, major depression, prostate cancer, psychosis, rheumatic fever/heart disease, sickle cell disease, and vascular disease.

The Jamaica Drugs for the Elderly Programme (JADEP) for people over 60 is also covered by the NHF card. This provides drugs free of cost for hypertension, cardiac conditions, arthritis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, high cholesterol, vascular disease, diabetes, glaucoma, asthma, and psychiatric conditions.

We conducted a survey among CCRP members about NHF and they were unanimous in their plaudits for the organisation. Said one member: “I have an NHF card and I think it’s the most efficiently run government agency … A pleasure dealing with them.” The NHF continues to advocate for even more assistance for the elderly and we join them in their efforts.

bon voya ge DIANE EDWARDS

President Diane Edwards will be coming to the end of her nine-year stint at Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) at the end of December. Among the many accomplishments, which she affirms has been a team effort, are growth in the outsourcing sector to 55,000-plus employees, facilitating close to 6,000 hotel rooms, and initiating several policy changes to improve the ease of doing business in Jamaica. Gratitude to Edwards for her wisdom and dynamism. May she go from strength to strength.

lowriechin@aim.com

www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com