Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips gesticulates while making his presentation to the budget debate in Parliament yesterday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips yesterday fired a fresh salvo of criticism at the Government on a range of issues including corruption, inequality, and the performance of the economy as he outlined the People’s National Party’s (PNP) proposals for inclusive growth.

At the same time, he blamed the Government for failed bipartisan efforts so far to create consensus on a replacement for the states of emergency (SOEs) in fighting crime.

According to Dr Phillips, since December last year, the Opposition has been urging the Government to use the powers of the more intense zones of special operations (ZOSOs) in the crime-affected areas, including Mount Salem in St James and Denham Town in Kingston, which already has ZOSOs in operation.

However, the opposition leader, who was making his presentation to the 2019/20 Budget Debate at Gordon House, admitted that his PNP has also been urging the Government that, in addition to the ZOSOs, there was need for a “crime-fighting plan” which would involve amending the legislative framework and building national consensus.

In terms of the need for the PNP and the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to resume cooperation on crime fighting — as was the case prior to the breakdown which led to the Opposition withdrawing its support for the SOEs, thereby denying the Government the required two-thirds majority vote for the continuation of the measure — Phillips said that the talks which followed at Vale Royal have not advanced since their first meeting on January 7.

Dr Phillips said that a second meeting set for January 16 was cancelled and with no new date being set, meetings involving the churches, the private sector, human rights groups, the trade unions, and the NGOs have also been delayed since then.

“Mr Prime Minister, set the date. We will come, as we need to build a national consensus as we unite against crime,” Phillips said.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/front-page/peter-s-salvo-phillips-knocks-gov-t-on-corruption-inequality-failure-to-rebuild-rural-economy_159629