PNP is out of touch with citizens’ realities, says JLP

The leadership of the ruling Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) insists that the Opposition People’s National Party’s (PNP) attempt to discredit government proposals to improve the lives of struggling Jamaicans is a demonstration that the PNP is out of touch with the reality of citizens. and confirmation of his unfitness to manage the affairs of the country.

According to senior member of the JLP Communications Task Force, Marlon Morgan, the PNP was hasty and callous in its attempts to “destroy and disparage the many well-thought-out people-focused measures announced by Prime Minister and JLP leader Andrew Holness last Sunday at our party’s annual conference “

Morgan, speaking at a post-conference press briefing at the JLP’s Belmont Road headquarters on Friday, said the ruling party strongly rejected and condemned the “weak attempt by the PPP and its surrogates to publicly condemn measures of economic and social reform”. was declared by Prime Minister Holness to be “a straight-up ploy, an election ploy and an attempt to ‘get around it’.”

“Having stabilized Jamaica’s economy, the reforms and mitigation measures are a fulfillment of our commitment to pass on benefits to the people of Jamaica… The measures announced are a clear demonstration of caring by the JLP Government under the leadership of Andrew Holness. We are committed to making people’s lives easier and easing the cost of living burden that we know our community faces,” he said.

Pointing to one of the measures announced by the Prime Minister – a $20,000 grant to needy Jamaicans over 18 years of age who are not enrolled in the Program for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) or the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and who are not participating in Social Pension Scheme – Morgan said this is an active attempt by the government to extend benefits to a wider swath of the Jamaican population.

“We make no apologies for our efforts to help our Jamaican brothers and sisters. So, for those who want to describe this as a giveaway, for those who want to describe this as a handout, it is time to get off this soapbox and of course stop berating and decrying the government’s efforts to provide relief and resolve this dire situation. to stand up to our Jamaican brothers and sisters who are not as fortunate as others and certainly who are not ‘Tapanari’ in Jamaican society,” he said.

Morgan further insisted that these measures are a means of putting money back into the pockets of Jamaicans, “which is what we have been doing since day one.”

“Therefore, any suggestion, any hint that the initiatives announced by Prime Minister Holness this Sunday are somehow a ploy to induce or attract votes is simply unfounded, absurd and, quite frankly, contrary to the intelligence and sensibilities of the people of Jamaica “, he said.

He also urged Jamaicans to carefully consider which of the two main political parties has their best interests at heart, insisting that Jamaica is in good hands with the JLP government.

“We are people of fiscal responsibility, we are people who are prudent stewards of our public finances and the resources of our country, and Jamaica has every reason… to stick with the Government of the Jamaica Labor Party,” he said, adding that the JLP is active and strong in pursuing additional programs and measures to ease the burden of Jamaicans, in particular policies and measures that will serve to alleviate cost of living problems.

West Portland MP and Energy Minister Daryl Vaz also spoke at the press conference and re-emphasized Holness’s announcement regarding plans to scrap the non-tax electricity threshold and replace it with an incentive-matched GCT rebate for people who use 200 kilowatts or less. per month. He said this would benefit approximately 380,000 Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers.

He said following a meeting on Tuesday with the ministries of finance and energy and JPS, a task force was formed “which is now going to take a deep dive into what more can be done to mitigate the impact of power bills and inflation on the country’s economy.” Jamaican people.”

JLP officials also backed the Prime Minister’s announcement to waive more than six months of debt owed to the National Water Commission, saying it is another sign that the JLP administration cares about the people of Jamaica and is taking tangible action to demonstrate that.

Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) senior communications task force member Marlon Morgan made the point while speaking at a press briefing at the party’s Belmont Road headquarters on Friday. Joseph Wellington