Well not many countries on earth get to start the New Year with a new government. The People’s National Party (PNP) under the leadership of veteran politician Portia Simpson-Miller  unleashed one of Jamaica’s biggest political upset in election history to the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). This defeat is exceptional because no pollsters, analysis, commentators, or psychic was able to predict a 42-21 seat victory for the PNP.

As fast as the election is concluded the commentaries and opinions start to flow in from another set of predictors. This time the prediction is what the new PNP government should do or will do. What the New government should do is to follow the same things that they promise in its Manifesto. The new government cannot afford to wine and dine away their mandate.

They will not have the luxury of patience from the Jamaican people. They will have to remember that it was the poor and middle class people that vote them in, not the PSOJ and the greedy few who are just waiting again to rob the country blind and ignore the plight of the people. The PNP should learn that the landscape of politics have changed in Jamaica. The people will not tolerate MP’s who are not working in their constituencies, they will not tolerate corruption from government ministers, and they will not tolerate bad roads, joblessness and crime.

The Jamaican people are not stupid as most politicians believe. They are not looking for handouts in envelops. Of course, if they get it they will take it like anybody else. They are looking to government to open the roads of opportunity for them to do their thing. One of the things I heard the new government talking about is to recognize the entrepreneurial spirit of Jamaicans. Government should provide a means by which the small business people can get access to loans so that they can establish their businesses. This will alleviate the employment problem tremendously.

Again with a new government, 50th anniversary celebration, Usain Bolt and company mashing up London, I can only say Happy New Year Jamaica

Filed under: Current Affairs

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