‘Absolute nonsense!’ Golding rubbishes suggestions PNP would discontinue Gov’t programmes
Mark Golding has labeled as “nonsense” suggestions that a People’s National Party (PNP) administration would “discontinue” existing government programmes should it gain state power following the September 3 national polls.
“That’s absolute nonsense!” declared the PNP president who is seeking to lead the party back to Jamaica House after nine years in the wilderness.
Using the launch of the PNP’s ‘Manifesto Lite’ to address the issue on Monday, Golding alleged that such a perception has been “deliberately sowed” by the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
Explaining the PNP’s position, Golding shared that, “We recognise that in the $360 billion envelope for programmes, there is a vast array of programmes; some of them are longstanding and fundamental, such as the PATH programme, which was started by the People’s National Party and provides support for vulnerable children and vulnerable citizens, and we would never do anything to reduce that.”
The Opposition leader said a PNP government would instead boost support to vulnerable Jamaicans through the Ensuring Adequate Sustenance for Education (EASE) programme and Rural Initiative for Delivering Education (RIDE) programme.
“On the other hand, there are many other programmes which represent a decision of the government of the day to pursue a particular policy initiative, which we may differ, for example, if we don’t anticipate it would have a negative impact on the quality of life of the Jamaican people,” Golding said.
“We will not be doing anything that would have a negative impact on the quality of life of the Jamaican people, so we’re working within the envelope of the budget, but we will be adjusting those things that we don’t think need to brought forward so that we can bring forward the things we are essential to making life better for the people of Jamaica at this time,” he added.
For his part, Opposition Spokesman on Education, Damion Crawford pointed to issues like the now controversial purchase of a multi-billion-dollar neurosurgical drill for the Bustamante Hospital for Children as an example of the JLP allegedly engaging in “general overspending” and “over invoicing”.
He also used the current rehabilitation works at Cornwall Regional Hospital as an alleged example of overspending.
“We (the PNP) have no intention to be so wasteful in government as they were,” Crawford insisted.
