PORTIA’S SILENCE WAS ANDREW’S GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Dear Editor,
How many countries in the world have congratulated the new Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration?
Have you noticed the enthusiasm by world leaders, apart from the United States ambassador, to welcome this government?
I wonder why? Although the winning margin is close, the JLP administration shouldn’t be daunted. The road ahead isn’t dark and murky; the pitfalls are clear.

The former prime minister didn’t talk herself out of office, she remained silent and in this case silence wasn’t golden.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness needs to chat constantly, communicate, communicate, communicate; sometimes you will talk rubbish, that is inevitable, but avoid lying or conning us.
The new administration must not change what is working because of change sake, but it is obvious what didn’t work. The JLP cannot afford a Riverton Dump fire and if it takes retaining Dennis Chung, why not? If his replacement is better or just as good then he should go, but the changes he started seems to be working.
No ‘dead babies’ scandal; Jamaicans deserve a first-world medical service, not what Dr Fenton Ferguson left. The board chairmen he appointed kept feeding him lies after lies. If he had been a hands-on manager, like Christopher Tufton it could’ve worked.
The best performing minister in the People’s National Party (PNP) was consistently the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites, not Dr Peter Phillips.
In spite of his age, Thwaites constantly originated fresh ideas and tried new things, some worked but inevitably some failed.
Now Ruel Reid has to continue what worked and insist on a special education teacher in every school especially those that obviously need them. Roger Clarke High school, (formerly Balaclava High) springs to mind, Thwaites pushed for help for these students and I know why.
Don’t continue to raid the National Housing Trust (NHT). Crime has to be a priority, how do you reform the mindset of someone who kills three people over a wet cellular phone?
There is a total lack of respect for life, people no longer report crime to the police, they come up with extra-judicial solutions. The government has to establish confidence in the police.
Finally, most people when you give them tax relief will not run out and buy a 55 inch flat screen television, or run to the bank and get a loan to purchase a new car, buy new foreign goods or simply waste it. Most of us will save it, or use it to educate our children. If the government confidently invests in us and we betray that trust then derailing the IMF’s programme is inevitable and the suffering which will follow, we will deserve.