Obstacles to prosperity
Delroy Chuck
AS OUR nation slides steadily into the bowels of anarchy, we need to take stock and ask where have we gone wrong and what can we do to avoid the impending nightmare. I have warned repeatedly of the frightening spectacle unfolding before us: of an economy on the verge of collapse, of an escalating crime wave, of poverty being widely distributed, of the failure of Government to provide the basic requirements of law and order, justice, education, and health; alas, of a nation in distress. I strongly believe the way forward is simple, demands a passionate commitment to prosperity and, thus, the only issue is why are we not on that path. Yet, there is no greater obstacle to progress and prosperity than the inappropriate policies of the Government and the mindset of those who support it. The Government and its supporters actually believe if people fall in line, unite and support its chosen economic model, its good intentions and its genuine attempt to govern then things will be better. That is why it rarely listens, ignores suggestions, sets up and shelves task force reports, wastes money on round table conferences and, naturally, nothing worthwhile is ever implemented. The members of this Government love to talk which they do very well, but when it comes to action and results they are bewildered. The Wolfe, Orane and Moses Task Force Reports, amongst many others, sit on my desk, laced with useful recommendations, which if only implemented would make for better Government. Take the most basic of the Orane Recommendation: "The Government is thus faced with one of two choices, to continue the slow but certain decline due to its inaction or undertake programmes to quicken domestic reform so as to benefit from efficiency gains. THE CHOICE IS OBVIOUS. (My emphasis) The Government must reduce public expenditure in line with revenues whilst improving efficiency." The Orane Committee may well have thought the choice was obvious but this obdurate Government is not prepared to act as it does not have the courage or firm determination to implement unpopular policies, especially when it "..will..limit patronage.." See Jenkins Report of 1994. Seminal suggestions This Government strives on handouts and political patronage which rarely add to the prosperity of the nation. The Leader of the Opposition in every one of his budget presentations, and other Opposition MPs, have made seminal suggestions to improve the quality of life. From Mr. Seaga's 1999 budget presentation, WHY ARE WE POOR, the Government could easily learn how to change the path to prosperity, but is the Government really interested? When the Government's hands are on the steering wheel and will not turn or change course on any suggestion from the Opposition, or for that matter from anyone, then who must take the blame, wholly and solely, for the nation's present predicament? If this, or any future, Government hopes to achieve a decent quality of life for everyone then the challenge must be how to change the mindset of our people to understand that the role of government should be mainly one of facilitator instead of provider. Government cannot be all things to all men and when it tries to be then it becomes the problem, as the present one surely is. It is a scandal on the Government that businessmen are forced to behave like the mendicant ghetto boys as, together, they look to Government for contracts, largesse, benefits and bailouts. Undoubtedly, any government that plays so large an economic role can only deliver greater impoverishment. We need to clear the obstacles to prosperity. This Government or any other can facilitate the creation of prosperity by first relieving the entrepreneurs, investors and producers of the burdensome red tape, bureaucratic controls, poor government service, excessive taxes, unwise fiscal and monetary policies and an environment hostile to money making. It will not be easy as so many political leaders and civil servants believe that the entrepreneurial class should be kept under control, watched for excessive profiteering, and taxed to spread the benefits of their work and efficiency. Then, we find another type of mindset which is hostile to wealth and prosperity. Far too many churchmen, teachers, workers, intellectuals, and others, believe the rich and wealthy, the entrepreneurs and traders, the businessmen and bankers, etc., actually owe the poor, the needy, the indolent and non-producers a share of what they earn and have. They are oftentimes supported by foolish governments which believe that the primary purpose of taxes, regulation, monetary and fiscal policies is to bring social and economic justice; when, experience shows that attempts to redistribute wealth is more likely to cause social and economic injustice. I have no problem if the rich and wealthy want to share their riches, and many do. I think however that government policies that seek to do so inevitably fails with drastic consequences for the rest of the country.
Delroy Chuck is an Attorney-at-Law and Opposition Member of Parliament.
|