PM appeals for patience as gov't works to address economic challenges

By Clinton McGregor 

   

Amid growing discontent with the state of the Jamaican economy, Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness is pushing back, arguing that critics are ignoring the positive economic data.

 

Speaking in St. Ann on Thursday, Dr. Holness urged patience as his administration seeks to address the problems facing the economy.

 

"Yes, we cannot ignore that we still have a lot of people who are poor, we cannot ignore that we still have the bad roads that people complain about every day, we cannot ignore the challenges with water. In the recent by-election, when I went into communities, I was confronted by people complaining that they have been without water now for how many decades, and they want their water now," he said, as he sought to assure that the government is "putting things in place" to address these issues. 

 

The Prime Minister touted that Jamaica's economy is the strongest it has been in the last three decades. 

 

"Employment is expanding, more people have income, exchange rate is stable and free, inflation is on its way down, the public debt has gone down to the lowest it has ever been in 30 years - at the end of this fiscal year, we will be below 70?bt to GDP." 

 

He said the recently implemented Reverse Income Tax Credit payment of $20,000 is another sign of economic growth, the dividends of which will be reinvested in the people. 

 

"That is why we did something like the reverse tax credit, never before in Jamaica's history, where the government is giving back to people who earn less than $3 million per year.... That's a way in which we are making sure that the dividends of the good economic management reaches to the people. Yes, good economic management can nyam," he declared. 

 

Dr. Holness was speaking at the opening of a Courts Jamaica Store at the Draxhall Complex in St. Ann.