Many years ago, Dr Omar Davies, then finance minister in the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Administration, was widely chastised for a speech in which he was reported to have suggested that despite the ongoing need for fiscal discipline, given the parlous state of the economy as well as the draconian International Monetary Fund (IMF) constraints, it had become expedient to “run wid it”. In other words, go on a spending spree in order to satisfy the demands of the electorate, with a view to ensuring that voters would continue to look on the PNP Administration favourably at the polls.

Subsequently, the PNP’s last finance minister, Dr Peter Phillips, with the IMF breathing down his neck and threatening to pull the plug on the Portia Simpson Miller Administration, embarked on a very tight fiscal management programme for which he would eventually gain many kudos, including
The Gleaner’s Man of the Year Award, and which led to the current Andrew “Brogad” Holness Administration, under the astute leadership of his finance minister, Dr Nigel Clarke, being able to eventually enjoy the necessary fiscal space to successfully finance the national budget as well as decrease the national debt in a meaningful way.

As a result of Dr Peter Phillips’s success story at handling the country’s fiscal affairs, for which he is yet to get enough credit, Prime Minister Holness and his sidekick Dr Clarke have been boastfully embarking on a wide range of capital projects, including massive infrastructural works. Yes, they must both be credited for having done well at the macroeconomic level for which they have received many kudos, both nationally and internationally.

But, alas, what was designed to be a trickle-down approach to governance has backfired in the worst way, with the outcome of the recently held local government elections staring the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the face, telling “Brogad” that all is not well on the ground.

People are hurting in more ways than one economically, even as crime continues to be a “pain point”, not to mention a rickety and incompetent public transportation system, health-care woes at public hospitals, pothole-riddled roads despite the rolling out of “carpet” highways, widespread corruption, arrogance, a gross lack of accountability and transparency, etcetera, etcetera. In other words, “It sipple out deh!” In other words, “Rain a fall but di dutty tuff, pot a bwile but di food no nuff!”

Then there was the massive salary and perks increase that Brogad gave to his parliamentary colleagues and others at the head of the feeding chain which has not gone down well with John Public, especially public sector workers. And despite salary and wage adjustments across the board, including the increase in the minimum wage, many Jamaicans are “bawling” that they cannot make ends meet.

This has put the Government in a quandary as it had somehow thought that it had done enough to assuage their pain. Indeed, this may well turn out to be a classic case of that which ensued during the French Revolution when the masses protested for want of food and other basic necessities and the Queen of France Marie Antoinette quipped, “Let them eat cake!”

According to
Wikipedia, “Let them eat cake” is said to have been spoken in the 18th century by “a great princess” upon being told that the peasants had no bread as they revolted. The quote is taken to reflect either the princess’s frivolous disregard for the starving peasants or her poor understanding of their plight. Has Brogad found himself in a similar situation?

During an impassioned speech at a JLP meeting at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, staged to announce the date for the 2024 Local Government Elections, Prime Minister Holness was at pains to convince his team and the wider Jamaican public that he knew what it was like to be poor, as he was born and raised in humble circumstances in Spanish Town. Obviously, his impassioned speech did not sufficiently convince the electorate that he really cared for them and understood their plight, as the majority of those who voted opted to support the Opposition PNP.

This slap in the face has forced the JLP to go back to the drawing board to analyse what went wrong and what must be done to fix it if it wants to win the upcoming general election due next year.

Interestingly, both Prime Minister Holness and Finance Minister Clarke have been warning aggrieved public sector workers that they must hold strain and be reasonable with their requests in the wake of their 10-day ultimatum, declaring that any major payout at this time could derail the Government’s positive fiscal policy train. But will Brogad be able to face down the wolves at the door and win the day? Or will he have to eventually relent, especially against the backdrop of the looming general election? After all, an unprecedented third term for him and the JLP is the major political prize in the offing, but may now be fast becoming an elusive dream unless Brogad decides to “run wid it”?

Within a few days time the finance minister will unveil the 2024/2025 national budget to be followed in short order by the prime minister, who is expected to deliver what may well be his magnum opus? No doubt, there will be many promises, pronouncements, goodies, and benefits designed to woo a sceptical and cynical electorate. In all of this, political pundits and analysts will be listening carefully to see if he decides to “run wid it” or will he hold strain and continue to ask the public to hold strain as the prosperity seeds will soon bear fruit?

In the meantime, the Margie Joseph’s song
Words comes to mind:

“Words without love are just words with no meaning/And the feeling that something has died/ I can’t hide with only words/Lose you, now the last thing I want is to lose you/But it seems like I’m losing myself/I feel like someone else and not myself. Baby, words are impossible/When something’s died.”

Lloyd B Smith has been involved in Jamaican media for the past 48 years. He has served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.