Delroy Chuck
THE PRIME Minister's Budget speech on April 26, which is probably his last, represents a typical signature presentation, indicative of his prime ministerial dispensation, of handing out whatever goodies he can find in the nation's cookie jars. The Most Honourable P.J. Patterson wants to be remembered as the prime minister who has handed out the most land, houses, benefits and largesse to the Jamaican people. His electoral successes can easily be attributed to his ability to fill the political pork barrel and to cater to the insatiable need for handouts, especially at election time.
If politics is about the distribution of spoils, of increasing the pork barrel, of supplying scarce benefits and of responding to the needs, contrived or genuine, of the Jamaican people, Mr. Patterson has definitely succeeded. During his tenure, there are more beggars everywhere, deprivation and dependency abound, and hundreds of thousands of our citizens look to government, instead of within themselves, for economic salvation.
FAILED TENURE
To be sure, if politics is about economic development, expansion of social services, lifting the nation from a struggling Third World malaise to a thriving First World country, and providing the people of Jamaica with the means and opportunities to improve their quality of life and to pursue happiness and personal well-being, Mr. Patterson's tenure has been a failure.
In his Budget presentation, the Prime Minister, again, provided a significant amount of funds that will further empower political representatives to respond favourably to their constituents. As an MP. I am quite happy to use the funds to improve, lift and benefit the inner-city areas and provide short-term employment for young people. Sadly, the need is insatiable and, so often, the benefits are ungraciously demanded and received. In truth, the Prime Minister is quite right that thousands of residents need housing assistance and it is to the politicians that they turn perennially for help.
The $2 million for social housing, however, prudently distributed, will not be enough. In fact, if $20 million was available annually to each MP to assist the most needy who shelter in their hovels and board houses on the gully banks, hillsides and squatter communities, it still would not be enough.
PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT
The renewal of the Lift Up programme, with a $2 billion provision, will be appreciated by MPs, as it will assist community organisations to engage in numerous development programmes in their constituency, and provide short-term work for many constituents. One cannot deny there is an element of political pork barrel in the Lift Up programme, as in garrison constituencies the expenditure of funds is mainly to political hangers-on and controlled by area leaders. However, if properly managed and organised, it can alleviate inner-city deprivation and repair decaying structures. Still, the programme is merely a poor substitute for what a good government should do continuously and that is to improve the country's infrastructure.
Political pork barrel is close to the heart of every politician who wants to do something for the needy and greedy, who desires the love and admiration of constituents and who tries to respond to the truly vulnerable, especially in their times of need. Unfortunately, politicians are being called upon to do what the social services, the poor relief agencies and the charitable organisations should extend to society's less fortunate members. A truly caring government would look beyond the politics and distribution of scarce benefits and spoils.
CIVIL REQUIREMENTS
The people deserve much better. Increasing the political pork barrel will undoubtedly satisfy my political instinct, but my intellect leads me to a different path. The people want to be independent of political gifts. They want jobs, opportunities and more economic choices to better their lives. I, too, want a Jamaica in which thousands of attractive jobs are created annually, in which economic growth and development is the nation's priority, and in which politicians represent the national interests instead of searching for narrow, self-serving, admiration.
I want a Jamaica in which government becomes the facilitator of an enticing economic environment and provider of basic services, and avoids being benefactor and distributor of the nation's goodies.
Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Opposition Member of Parliament. He can be contacted by email at delchuck@hotmail.com.
