Golding doubles down on PNP’s $70 billion promise
But Clarke says proposed policies are reckless
Mark Golding says that a People’s National Party (PNP) government would, from day one, move to fulfil its promise of giving light and water bill subsidies to Jamaicans and providing vulnerable persons with grants of up to $400,000 to renovate their homes.
Pricing the PNP promises as being in the region of $70 billion, Golding, speaking in the national political debates last night, said that the projects that would be done first are those that would stimulate the economy and strengthen the social safety net. He said that the government would not impose new taxes to pay for the measures.
However, Dr Nigel Clarke attempted a knock-down the PNP’s policies saying they were reckless.
DESPERATE ATTEMPT
“I know you are 16 points behind in the polls but there is no need for this desperate attempt that has the potential of wrecking the country,” Clarke said.
“The people of Jamaica need a government they can trust to take us through the most difficult crisis in our lifetime, a sober government,” he added.
Golding argued
that the Peter
Phillips-led PNP is best placed to deliver in that regard. He sought to set up Phillips as ‘Mr Fix It’, arguing that during the period 2011 to 2016, it was Phillips, as finance minister, who rescued the country from the economic brink after the previous Jamaica Labour Party administration failed to implement an International Monetary Fund programme it had agreed.
“In 2011, the people of Jamaica turned to the People’s National Party because they knew we would deliver what is needed to save the country,” Golding said. “The people need the People’s National Party again to face the crisis that we have now.”