Every ruling political party in democratic societies does what Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Dr Andrew Holness did Sunday as he brought to a close his party’s final annual conference before the next general election due by September.

The prime minister announced a raft of measures to ease the cost-of-living burden on the neediest Jamaicans and, hopefully, make the case for a third term for the JLP, now eight years in power.

Mr Holness may be attempting to do what former party leader Mr Bruce Golding advised him at last year’s annual conference — “not to squander the political capital” which he had gained since the 49-seat trouncing of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) in 2020.

Moreover, the September 27 to October 3, 2024 Don Anderson polls showed PNP President Mr Mark Golding ahead in the favourability rating — 39.9 per cent to 25.8 per cent over Mr Holness.

The local government elections earlier this year would have scared the JLP somewhat after the almost dead-heat results. Last week, too, the PNP was buoyed by regaining the Aenon Town Division in Clarendon and retaining the Morant Bay, St Thomas, Division in two by-elections.

Of course, as the idiom goes, all is fair in love and war, and the PNP can be expected to view the measures outlined Sunday in the same way the then-Opposition JLP saw it in 2016 as the “Run Wid It” political campaign, using a famous term from Dr Omar Davies, the former finance minister.

Indeed, if the political parties are going to sweeten the pot for the electorate, one hopes that two things will not happen: That they would not jeopardise the economic stability achieved at great sacrifice, as the PNP was accused of doing by the then Opposition; and that the measures to ease hardships would be well thought out.

Only time will tell if the latest measures, should they be implemented, do injury to the current economic programme.

The Holness Administration has been a good steward of the economy — reducing the debt, holding inflation in check, achieving record unemployment, and carrying out infrastructure programmes with commendable energy. It must, therefore, be disheartening to the JLP to see the electorate, at least according to the opinion surveys and the municipal poll results, appearing to be turning to the Opposition party.

As to whether the actions unveiled by Mr Holness are well thought out, one can see where they will relieve some of the hardships being experienced, as high prices continue to defy the fight against inflation and economic growth remains anaemic at best.

In that respect, the eight per cent reduction of General Consumption Tax on electricity, an amnesty for some National Water Commission customers, a waiver of fees for craft vendors, and easing the transportation burden on rural area students make sense.

We are, however, not clear on why the $20,000 reverse income tax credit is being widened to include people who are “not captured” in the give-back programme on grounds that they are not registered anywhere in the Government’s system. Is it possible to be paying income tax without being captured on the Government’s system?

Water arrears write-offs can also be tricky, by encouraging further arrears.

The Administration will want to be careful that no part of the programme be seen as resorting to vote-buying.