Leader of Jamaica’s opposition People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding on Monday led a march at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service over the soaring costs of fuel on the island.
He was accompanied by party members and supporters who were also protesting against the general high cost of living in Jamaica.
In his budget presentation earlier this year, Golding had drafted a proposal that would see a cut in gas tax. His approach sees the Government imposing a cap on the ad valorem special consumption tax on petroleum products where the oil price of Jamaica’s purchases exceeds US$67.50 per barrel.
Golding said with gas prices rising weekly, his proposal would ease the burden on motorists. But according to the PNP leader, Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke has not yet moved to implement the measure.
In his letter to Dr. Clarke, Golding said the “inflation crisis is ravaging people’s lives in Jamaica”.
He said adopting his proposal would lead to a “meaningful break to Jamaican consumers, given the impact of gas prices on so many aspects of our lives.
Among the other party members who accompanied Golding at the march were Phillip Paulwell, Julian Robinson, Dr Angela Brown-Burke, and Dr. Dayton Campbell.
“Harder Times Ahead” Warns PNP
Mark Golding has also urged all Jamaicans to brace for harder times ahead of rising inflation.
“This is not the year to be so tight with the thing. This is a year when sufferation is going to be bitter on the people. Government has an obligation, a duty to cushion the crises for the people,” said Golding at a PNP divisional conference in Portland on Sunday.
Golding said it is not beyond the Andrew Holness government to assist Jamaicans, but instead the present administration does not listen.
“And I can tell you what you see happening now with the industrial unrest is partly because of those things, because the pressure is on public sector workers. And the process to bring in this reclassification of their employment arrangements and their salary is being done in a way that don’t build no confidence. It is being done in a way that has eroded trust in the process and in the government.”
Golding said trade unions representing the public sector workers have been complaining that they have not been getting the information in a timely basis, and they are not being brought to the table to negotiate any of those details around the package.
“And here we have last week strike; water commission strike, housing trust strike, air traffic controllers strike, all in one week. And who next? So it is a bitter time. The people are going to be looking for an alternative to this government,” he added.
Over the last week, the Jamaican government has come under pressure from several groups of public sector workers who have walked off the job or threatened to strike over salary negotiations.
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