Opposition Criticises Gov’t Over State Of The Economy | RJR News

By Halshane Burke 

As Jamaica experiences a decline in economic fortunes, the opposition has criticised the government for its continued poor handling of the economy. 

The country has seen three consecutive quarters of negative growth, with a projection for another quarter of negative growth.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding says the country is reeling from the effects of the government’s policies coupled with the effects of Hurricane Melissa last year.

“Small business suffering, many small business get mash down; them lose them place, them lose them stock, them na’ave no help from the government to get back on their feet. This government has a failed economic policy implementing right now and the people are suffering as a result of it. And Comrades, when I think about what needs to be done, we have to transform the Jamaican economy from what it is, which is an economy which is not delivering for the people, to an economy that creates opportunities for people to rise up and achieve their hopes and dreams,” he argued.

Mr. Golding underscored the importance of equipping the population with the requisite skills to succeed in an evolving economic climate.

“Our policy is to integrate the private sector and the state sector when it comes to training, so that we incentivise businesses to take on young people and train them or upskill their existing workers. So rather than try and make HEART deliver training courses, often which are out of date, training people for the jobs that are being created today, we must empower businesses to train people because the business will be training them in the things that they need to be done in the business. And that would mean our people will be more employable and able to make some money for themselves,” the People’s National Party president suggested.

He was addressing the Greendale Divisional conference in St. Catherine on Thursday evening.