Golding hits back at claim PNP caused financial meltdown

 

People's National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding is challenging claims by Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Dr. Andrew Holness that his administration has rescued Jamaica from a financial meltdown caused by the PNP. 

 

Speaking at a party meeting in Eastern Hanover on Thursday night, Mr. Golding rubbished the JLP's claim, and insisted that he was part of the legislative team that crafted measures to strengthen the financial infrastructure and rescue the country's economy between 2011 and 2015. 

 

Mr. Golding argued that when the JLP came into government, the fiscal rules were already in law, anchoring what the Ministry of Finance could do in each budget cycle.

 

He accused the JLP of spreading lies and propaganda as part of its campaign.

 

"Comrades, the Prime Minister has been going around making some false comments about how the Jamaica Labour Party rescued the economy. We have to mash down that lie. It was the People's National Party that came to government in 2012, inheriting a debt-GDP ratio of 147 per cent, where the country had gone off the rails. 

 

"We were not in any programme with the IMF because they had failed every test and hadn't even taken the test, and the international financial community had Jamaica as a basket case, a failed state financially. And it was under Portia Simpson Miller and Dr. Peter Phillips with I-man, Marky G, in charge of the legislation at the time that turned that completely around and built the current fiscal rules into the fiscal responsibility framework of the country so that the debt of the country could be brought under control," he insisted.

 

Mr. Golding also dismissed claims that his government will scrap programmes put in place by the JLP.

 

"I hear some foolishness being said publicly, which you know, there's so much misinformation going around the place nowadays in social media and elsewhere. What I want to assure Jamaica of is this. First of all, our PNP government to come after the 3rd of September will be a government for all Jamaicans - PNP, Labourite, no P, Christian, Rastafari, everybody. And the things that are now in place...and that we think make sense to continue because they're in the best interest of the people of Jamaica, we will keep those things. But those things that we don't think are the priorities now, we will probably either defer or discard those things," he disclosed.

 

The PNP president urged electors to read the party's manifesto, which has proposed improvements in housing, education and increased pay for workers, especially those required to perform overtime duty.

 

He also expressed concern that potential voters are being enticed to sell their votes ahead of the September 3 general election. 

 

"So Comrades, don't listen to the lies and the propaganda and the deceptions. Please, listen to what we are saying. Listen, read our manifesto, watch the videos that we are sending out which tell you what we're going to do and stand firm because they're going to come at you in all kind of ways. They going try buy you out so you don't come and deliver what we are expecting of you on the 3rd of September. We have to rise above that."

 

Mr. Golding warned that vote buying is a criminal offence.

 

"It's a criminal offence to take any money in respect of election buying or selling. We nuh inna dem ting deh. Your vote is a sacred right. Our forefathers fought and blood, sweat and tears for that right. Please, people, on the 3rd of September, do the right thing," he urged.