Poor Jamaicans must be given a fair chance – Phillips

LEADER OF the Parliamentary Opposition and People’s National Party (PNP) president Dr Peter Phillips told students at The University of the West Indies (UWI) on Thursday that he would lead a government that would put in place laws to ensure that all Jamaicans have a fair opportunity in establishing businesses, land ownership, access to a good education and a decent standard of living.

Phillips, who addressed the students in a forum on the PNP’s Covenant, hosted by UWI Visions, an arm of the PNP Youth Organisation, said that because of the harsh realities of the times, poor Jamaicans who are struggling to build their businesses must be given the necessary tools to develop.

He said that this is usually done for big businesses, but when it comes to helping the poor, they are treated like beggars.

DOUBLE STANDARD

“Persons will tell you that anytime anything is done for the poor, they call it freeness, but what about the subsidies that so many big businesses get writing off taxes for companies and other things? They will tell you that it is to promote production, but if it is to happen to a poor Jamaican, it is freeness, it is a handout,” Phillips said.

The seasoned politician, who was instrumental in the rescue of the country’s finances following the economic crisis leading up to 2011, laid out his plans for the nation’s growth.

Phillips said that for Jamaica to see five and six per cent growth, it has to incorporate everyone in the process. He said that the Covenant calls for the participation of all sectors of the society and champions the need and impetus for performance at all levels.

“You will only get the growth when the majority of the producers are not incorporated into the financial networks of the country,” he added.

He asked the students to join the PNP in helping to build the country so that successes can be realised in this generation.

“We are going to make a determined effort to reform the law to allow some 700,000 persons living in squatter conditions to own a piece of Jamaica. They have sweat enough; they have done enough. It is not a giveaway. It is an essential part of moving forward and will immediately transform those persons to holders of collateral so that they can do all kinds of business,” Phillips said.

He said that the Covenant is not just a document that addresses Jamaica’s potential at the social level, but it also presents a fundamental economical and socially transformative process.

PNP Vice-president Damion Crawford and UWI lecturer Dr André Haughton also presented on aspects of the Covenant.

CONTRIBUTED Opposition Leader and People’s National Party (PNP) President Dr Peter Phillips (right) paints a message on a T-shirt at the Mary Seacole Hall T-Shirt project in recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women at The University of the West Indies on Thursday. Also involved in the project are first vice-president of the PNP Senator Damion Crawford (centre) and Shadow Minister for Transport Mikael Phillips.