PORTIA? PORTIA? PORTIA?

By Delano Seiveright

As if things have already not spun out of control, Portia Simpson-Miller is actually resolute about becoming the next President of the PNP and in her and her supporters eyes the next Prime Minister of Jamaica.

One seriously ponders whether Portia assumes that she has the capabilities needed to lead such a complex country. Does she actually believe that her performances in her varying Ministerial portfolios are even commendable? Does she believe that her so called compassion and empathy for the poor will sail her in? Is she under the false conviction that she has a credible and comprehensive enough vision on the way forward for Jamaica? Has she forgotten the type of government/party that she is a very senior member of? And who are the members of her much over hyped team of high profile technocrats and advisors? Tonnes more questions are there to ask Sista P, however due to limited space one has stop here.

An analysis of Portia Simpson-Miller’s performance and the regime she has been an integral part of is more important. We must be presented with the truth on Portia and not be besieged by gobbledygook.

PART OF THE PROBLEM
Portia Simpson-Miller has been a part of the Peoples National Party since the 1970s. She has been a Member of Parliament since 1976 and a Minister of Government since 1989. She has been an integral part of inarguably the most malicious, corrupt, incompetent, imprudent and wasteful government ever in the history of this country. Mrs. Simpson-Miller has as a very senior member of the Government and the PNP gone along with all their ruinous policies and positions of the government. She hasn’t, with the exception of one public relations stunt in Parliament, ever challenged or censured her colleagues for their malicious and maladroit handling of the affairs of our country.

She probably had no moral authority to do so simply because her portfolio responsibilities are also in a mess, I will go on to speak about this later. She has simply watched as her country briskly sinks into a pit of depravity.

FIRE SERVICE PREDICAMENT
The Jamaica Fire Brigade under this administration has been belittled to a Ramshackle Fire Brigade. The Brigade is severely under equipped. Houses, business establishments and most sorrowfully lives have been lost-Remember that crippled elderly lady in Norbrook and the many other heart wrenching tragedies. The Fire Brigade has become an ineffective operation. This is primarily due to the fact that the Service is grossly underfunded. The Minister in charge of this essential service, Portia Simpson-Miller, has been highly ineffective in garnering funds from her own colleagues in the cabinet. Her Ministry saw a massive budget cut recently. This could be argued to be an illustration of Portia’s ineffectiveness in securing such critically needed funds.

She must have heard the cries of Jamaicans on the daily evening news, as citizens lament the gross inefficiencies of the Fire Service. How many more people would have to die, or how many more properties would have to go up in flames before Portia wakes up out of her slumber and tackle this grave dilemma in the interest of Jamaica.

NSWMA DISGRACE
Formidable allegations of massive misappropriation, fraud, corruption and cronyism to the tune of $2Billion dollars has crippled the National Solid Waste Management Authority [NSWMA], a state agency to which Portia Simpson-Miller is directly responsible for. The handling of the matter by the Minister was sloppy and illustrates a high level of managerial incompetence. Mrs. Simpson-Miller must have been cognizant of the alarming fact that the Agency had not produced any audited financial reports to the Auditor General over the last 2 YEARS, in direct violation of the Public Bodies Accountability Act.

Further yet all those expensive SUVs bought by the agency. This did not seem to concern the lady who wants to be Prime Minister of Jamaica. It took her after weeks of uproar by concerned citizens, the Opposition and the media for her to call in the police to conduct investigations. Matters were exacerbated by the fact that a self-acclaimed genetically linked PNP supporter made of with $84million from a contract [that was not put up for tender].

Is Portia Simpson-Miller sincere about altering the local political landscape, so as to put the best interests of Jamaicans at the forefront? As a matter of fact has she ever given the impression to you that she is absolutely sincere about eliminating corruption, mismanagement and incompetence that have characterized Jamaica’s political landscape? Further yet does the sloppy, lethargic and nonchalant handling of the NSWMA affair by her, augur well for someone who wants to lead our beloved country?

AN INACTIVE LABOUR MINISTER
Portia’s performance in other portfolio areas illustrates her generally abysmal managerial skills. The overarching point is that her performance is similar to her fellow colleagues in terms of the management of their respective portfolios. She has undoubtedly been a failure.

Does the average worker in Jamaica believe that Portia Simpson-Miller’s past tenure as Minister of Labour has brought a fair enough amelioration of working conditions or a general improvement in the rights of workers? I wonder what the thousands of security guards in Jamaica would have to say about her tenure as Labour Minister. They have pretty much been working in slave like conditions for years.

I also wonder what other workers with a similar status would say. This is quite ironic for a woman who is said to be a passionate advocate for the working classes.

TOURISM MESS
Her performance as Tourism Minister has also been ridiculed in many quarters. Relations between her Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Tourist Board [JTB] were at best tense. Things were further complicated by a major mismanagement and multi-million dollar fraud scandal to rock JTBs New York City office. Her handling of this huge scandal, which saw the JTB being slapped with a US$20 million lawsuit by an employee, was seen in many quarters as inept and indecisive. As if things could not have gotten worse, business tycoon Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart levied criticism on the JTBs, “rank incompetence and chaos”.

All in all Mrs. Simpson-Miller had to be moved from this sensitive and weighty responsibility in a cloud of immense controversy and possible incompetence.

HER CONSTITUENCY… SHAMEFUL
South-West St. Andrew to which she has been MP for approximately two decades is inarguably one of if not the most underdeveloped, poverty ridden and crime-infested section of our nation. The living conditions of residents in this garrison constituency are appalling. Is she not disturbed by the fact that in the 21st century many of her residents have no access to proper sanitary conveniences or even running water? The constituency is frankly hell on earth. Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller being such a powerful government official should be ashamed.

IS THE PNP HER BIGGEST ENEMY?
Ian Boyne stated that some in the PNP believe that, “Portia is not intellectually competent to deal with the gargantuan task of steering 21st century Jamaica through the rough, turbulent seas of globalisation.”(In Focus Sunday Gleaner FEB 6/2005). By all indications it is becoming more and more apparent that tensions are rising fast within the PNP and these tensions will simply have a detrimental impact on the affairs of Jamaica.

DON’T BE BAMBOOZLED
It is more than apparent that Portia Simpson-Miller is not suitable to becoming a Prime Minister of Jamaica. Her becoming Prime Minister of Jamaica would be just as devastating as the current Prime Minister of Jamaica. It would be a catastrophe therefore if Simpson-Miller is considered for the top job. Jamaica has arrived at a critical political juncture and is faced with two options: a) continuing on the path of destruction, hopelessness, increased corruption, mismanagement, nonchalance, and a perpetuation of the existing political order orb) turning unto the path of vision, prosperity and good governance.

Frankly all contenders for leadership in the PNP have given the distinct impression that they will log on to option (a).