Suppose anybody is looking for a reason to convince themselves that the people in the seat of power in the Jamaican Government are grifters. In that case, they need to look at an article in the Gleaner titled ‘Invalid Excuse.’
The report, which the Gleaner published on June 15, 2023, spotlighted the enormous increase in salaries the people in the seat of power gave themselves and their blatant refusal to share how they arrived at the numbers with the Jamaican people.
“GOVERNMENT HAS blocked access to the full consultancy report that informed controversial new public sector salaries recently implemented, saying that the document is in ‘draft’ because reforms are incomplete.”
‘Invalid Excuse,’–Gleaner article, June 15, 2023.
But the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) have dismissed those reasons as rubbish, pointing to public concerns about the wages, which include more than 200 percent increases approved for most politicians.
“They should come with a better excuse,” said Helene Davis Whyte, president of the JCTU.
Even the Gleaner, an organization many people believe is in Government’s purse, is so perplexed that it requested to see the document that informed the Government’s decision.
“On June 5, The Gleaner submitted an access to information (ATI) request to the Nigel Clarke-led Finance Ministry for copies of all final reports produced by (EY, formerly Ernst and Young), including their full final report on the compensation review and shared corporate services reform, and copies of the terms of reference provided to the consultancy firm.
The ministry responded on June 14, 2023, indicating that it would not release the reports.”
‘Invalid Excuse,’–Gleaner article, June 15, 2023.
What are they hiding? The government is answerable to the Jamaican people. Therefore, the Minister has no standing to deny access to a report the Jamaican people paid international consultancy firm, Ernest and Young close to one billion dollars to produce.
It is situations like this why many Jamaicans have lost faith in the political system. They are convinced the people in the seat of power are grifters who only seek to enrich themselves.