Our first question is –“Will you undertake a reform of the pension entitlements including the age of retirement?” Currently most pension liabilities for the public sector are calculated on the basis of the final salary at the time of retirement. This is what is known as a defined benefit scheme. These schemes were very popular thirty to forty years ago but more recently have fallen out of favour. This was because the contributions made to the scheme often did not generate sufficient returns to the scheme to cover the future liabilities. The fund ended up with a shortfall which had to be funded by the company. Now the preferred choice is a defined contribution scheme whereby the employee retires with the total of his accumulated pension funds which are used to buy an annuity. There is thus no shortfall in the fund but the drawback is that if the investments have not done well then the annuity or monthly pension will not be very large. We need to know if there will be a change in the way pensions will be calculated.

If the age of retirement is extended; it will mean that persons will be working for longer periods. This will provide additional funding for pensions but has a drawback. If persons are working longer then there will be fewer jobs available for younger persons. Thus any plan to increase the age at which one retires must go hand in hand with job creation otherwise solving one problem will simply create another.

It is important to remember that pension reform does not only affect the public sector but potentially affects every one of us. Changes to the pension act will affect ones entitlements under the National Insurance scheme. Those who are looking forward to receiving a pension from the fund may not in fact get one if changes are made to the fund. The possibility exists that any changes to the pensions act may reduce pensions in the short term but increase the future pensions of those to come.

In this series of articles I have looked at several questions that we need to ask of those wishing to govern us. It must be pointed out that we cannot ask theses questions in isolation of each other. Each area impacts on or is affected by the others and thus all must be considered together. To ignore even one means to leave our problems unresolved we need to find a way to do all of them.

The most critical question to be asked is – “Will you ensure that all persons pay their income tax obligations? Additionally we want to know – “are you prepared to prosecute any persons who fail to pay their taxes? We know that one of the objectives of tax reform is to lower tax rates by expanding the tax base so that more persons are paying their fair share. However if the government has no will to aggressively pursue tax evaders then the measures will be doomed to fail. It is my opinion that those who do not pay are well known by the tax department. This has been confirmed many times by the Inland Revenue department in interviews given to the press. Tax reform will not work if it is not combined with a serious effort to collect from all persons. It is time to remove the burden of taxes from the backs of the PAYE persons.

Another major area of concern related to taxation is the number of waivers that are granted each year.

Our question is – “Are you willing to review the tax incentives that are currently given?” We also ask – “Are you prepared to regularly publish a list of those who receive these waivers along with the reason for granting it?” The tax holidays that are now given especially those granted to the hotel sector are not effective in promoting job growth. In fact world wide research has shown that many tax incentives given do not produce any significant benefits. We need a more targeted approach to giving tax holidays targeting those industries that need it order to improve efficiency. Additionally waivers should only be given in certain circumstances for example, charitable donations. Too often these waivers are given to those companies who can afford to pay and these companies turn around and price the products as if they had paid the tax. If we are going to give tax waivers or holidays we need to ensure that the benefit accrues to the public.

Finally in relation to General Consumption Tax (GCT) we want to know – “Will you reduce the rate of GCT especially as it relates to telephone services? I think all persons will agree that 25 and 17.5 percent taxes are too high for a value added tax. By setting the rate so high it encourages businesses to find ways of not paying it and it becomes a burden for the taxpayer especially those who pay PAYE. We need lower rates and we want to know how each party will accomplish this. For tax collection to work the rates to be paid must be seen as reasonable.

There are two ways of achieving this target either by reducing expenditure or increasing GDP. Thus our first question is “Which one of these approaches will be your main thrust in achieving the target?” Additionally we wish to know “how many jobs will be lost in the public sector?” We also ask “Will you abide by the findings of the public sector transformation committee? It is important to have a clear understanding of how the process will operate.

We need a clear answer to the question – “How will we pay for the seven per cent back pay promised to the sector?” In moving forward we ask “What is your position of salary increases for the public sector for 2010 -2012 and beyond?” The targets agreed with the IMF have to be met and any further increases in pay will affect the possibility of reaching those targets. We need to know what increases if any will be given and how they will be funded. The world continues to struggle with recession and this is going to affect our earning capacity so it will become increasingly difficult to pay any additional benefits. It is critical that if any changes are to be made to the public sector that now is the time.

It is not enough to simply achieve the specified target we need to have a more efficient public sector. It is possible to make changes to and cut the size of the public service but still remain inefficient as currently exists in the financial sector. Efficiency for us means that the government services are adequately staffed to deliver the services needed. This means that the workers must be properly trained and have a good work attitude. We want to see a much easier way of paying taxes and a much better rate of tax collection.

This efficiency is not to be confined to what are traditionally seen as civil servant jobs. Wee need to see it reflected in our teachers and principals in the schools. The police force needs this improvement to be reflected in every aspect of their performance. It should be seen in the service provided by our health workers and last but not least our firemen. Yes cost is important but expenditure without efficiency is no better.

Our first question is “Are you committed to reducing Jamaica’s dependence on oil for energy production and what alternative energy sources will you pursue? Based on what is happening in the world economy it is highly unlikely that there will be a reduction in the price of oil. In fact most economists suggest that the cost of oil will continue to rise as developing countries increase their appetite for energy and that we could see oil prices in excess of US$200 per barrel. That price would effectively close down almost every operation in Jamaica and would lead to a situation of energy rationing. We therefore need to know the steps that the next government will take to address this situation. Failure to take action is not an option as this will lead to chaos and confusion.

Closely associated with this question is this one – “Are you going to adjust our import duty structure to be in line with your energy policy?” The days of allowing people to import whatever they want without regard to energy consumption are over. This country can no longer pay the cost of this policy as our ability to earn the much needed foreign exchange to buy oil is very much restricted. We would like to see alternative energy products being imported with no customs duty or better yet we would love to see them being manufactured here in Jamaica. Conversely I believe that items that consume large amounts of electricity such as SUVs, electric heaters, air conditioners, etc should attract an energy tax if imported into the island. This energy tax could then be used to help pay for oil imports or to develop alternative energy sources.

Finally I have two questions related to the JPS, firstly – “Will you allow other independent producers of electricity to attach themselves to the grid or alternatively permit them to distribute via their own grid?” This will allow some measure of competition to take place for those who might wish to challenge the monopoly position of JPS. Secondly – “Will you put in place regulations that will force the JPS to become more efficient and prevent them from passing on their inefficiencies to the consumer?” the biggest complaint is that there is no incentive for JPS to become more efficient as they are allowed to recover all of their costs. If restrictions were put in place then the company would be forced to reduce their operating costs.

Our first question is – “What changes are you prepared to make to the education system in order to make it more relevant to today’s working environment?” We can not be happy with a system of schooling that does not teach our children to read by grade 4. The syllabus for our young children is too wide and we need to return the focus to the three ‘R’s. In other words more emphasis needs to be placed on reading, writing and arithmetic. Once our students can read then other subject areas such as history, geography and sciences can be added. If our students do not know how to read then they can not be expected to perform in other subject areas which require this basic skill.

In addition we want to ask – “Is the party that wins power prepared to insist that schools set homework according to the capabilities of the students?” I have spoken to too many parents who have related the story of having to do their child’s home work because the assignment that is set is too advanced for the child. Projects given to pupils should be at a level where the student can manage with a little assistance from the parents not with a little assistance from the child.

We also would like to ask – “Will you insist that minimum academic standards be in place for those students participating in sports?” Children need to know that they need education to back up their sporting talents. They need to be able to read and understand the terms of contracts that they sign and they certainly need to know how to properly manage the income that they will earn during their time of participation in sports. One clear solution is to insist that schools ensure that home work is done prior to after school sports practice. Too often children are too tired to do their home work after playing for a couple of hours after school.

Lastly we ask the question - “Will you provide more technology to the schools in order to aid the learning process?” Computers with suitable teaching software can fill the gap created by insufficient teachers. In addition access to the internet can supply the information that does not exist in our woefully inadequate school libraries and at a cost that all can afford.

There are many other questions that could be asked about education; let us take the time to ensure that we ask them now before it is too late.

The first question is – “Are you committed to the dismantling of garrison communities?”
The problem with such communities is that they discourage the start of new business enterprises, they restrict the movement of persons and they encourage the payment of protection monies. All of these factors are major impediments to business development. In addition it creates employment problems for persons that live in these communities as many companies are wary of hiring these persons for fear of dealing with criminal elements. Closely allied to this question is this additional one – “Are you prepared to put in place infrastructure in order to improve the social conditions under which these people live. One cannot solve the garrison problem without resolving the social ills as well.

The next question on our list is – “Are you prepared to give the security forces the necessary resources that they need to fight crime?” This is not just a matter of salary; many of the police stations in which our policemen work are in a deplorable condition. There is a lack of technology in our stations with many not having a single computer. We need the facility to be able to check quickly if there is an outstanding traffic ticket or an outstanding warrant for a person. We need to do away with all of the paper and use more modern methods to help fight crime. An additional question is – “Are you going to provide additional funding for the forensics department?” Too many cases are being dismissed for the lack of proper evidence. We need to have proper crime scene evidence collection procedures but in addition we need the capability to process that evidence. This will include the areas of ballistic testing and DNA evidence.

The final question is – “Are you willing to deal with the issue of corruption within governments especially as it relates to the awarding of contracts?” Having proper procedures and systems in place and following them is critical for the development of businesses. All companies that wish to work for government must believe that they have an equal chance of providing the services that are needed. Transparency within government plays a critical part in moving the country’s development forward and in achieving sustainable economic growth.

We recognize that job creation usually goes hand in hand with economic growth and thus our first question will be “how do you propose to grow the economy?” Job creation without sustained economic growth will not last for very long but as we have often seen, growth does not always lead to job creation. We therefore need to ask an additional question – What type of industries do you propose to go into to create jobs and what level of jobs will be created? Although tourism has been our main stay for many years, in many ways the benefits have not trickled down to the workers at the lowest levels.

I believe that both governments have done a poor job of ensuring that as many sectors as possible benefit from tourism. It is therefore necessary to ask “what are the plans that the party has to spread the benefits of tourism to more persons. The idea here is that the agriculture sector, food services, craft markets and tourist attractions need to maximize the return that they make from tourism. Currently too much of our food for the tourist market is imported and the same is true for much of the furniture used in the hotels. Any plan for the tourist sector must include ideas of how to assist these sectors to be more efficient and productive in order to meet the demands of the sector.

Job creation however is not a static process; one does not simply learn a skill and work for the rest of one’s life. There is a need for the constant upgrading of the labour force. Thus we would like to know “what plans the parties have regarding skills training especially in light of the fact that so many of our young persons are graduating from high school with little or no qualifications at all?” What about the technical jobs such as electricians, masons, plumbers, carpenters, hair dressers etc; are there any plans in place to create more jobs in these areas.? These jobs have often been looked down upon by society but can in fact provide a good source of income for many young persons. There is a need for more training programmes similar to those used at the HEART academies.

If we are going to create jobs then we need to recognize our limitations and make our plans accordingly. Where your labour force is largely unskilled then initially jobs will be at the lower levels but additional training will increase the opportunities for career advancement.

Closely linked to this is the area of accountability in which both parties have fallen short. The question to be asked is whether the party is prepared to ensure that proper safeguards are put in place to safeguard the use of the taxpayer’s money? Additionally one might ask “ Is your party prepared to be transparent in all of its dealings with all major projects being subject to review by an external body e.g. contractor general’s department.? Is the party prepared to act on the findings of the review body or will the findings simply be ignored? Are you prepared to fire or prosecute where necessary those who are found to have breached the rules? The purpose of these questions is to determine if either party is prepared to change from the poor handling of resources to being a government that is responsible to be trusted with our finances. A major part of accountability is not just doing the right thing but also taking responsibility when things go wrong. Too many times breaches of regulations are brought to the public but no action is taken to resolve them or to ensure that they do not happen again.

If we are going to move this country forward then it is critical that the next government recognize the seriousness of the situation and be prepared to act in the interest of the country. A legacy of borrowing has done nothing but make the future seem bleak. What we need now is a government who understands that we can not borrow our way to success and prosperity. The time for action is now, who will step up to the mark and ensure the future success of our nation.

One of the underutilized enterprises in information technology is that of computer graphics and design. Nearly all modern advertising utilizes some form of computer graphics as this type of design is more versatile and much cheaper to do. Closely tied to this is the design of web sites which in Jamaica are woefully lacking in quality. We have fallen way behind the rest of the world and there is an urgent update needed to carry us into the 21st century. Modern websites not only carry information about the company but also are used as a primary selling tool. They provide very detailed information about the company’s products and give the user the opportunity to buy goods and services online. These we b sites require constant updating and thus provide a steady flow of income to those who are knowledgeable on their workings.

There are still possibilities for data entry and programming in Jamaica but there is a need to ensure that more training is put in place so as to get better qualified workers. However, there is a lot of competition worldwide in this area from countries which are technologically superior to us. We need to research the opportunities in this area and then put in place what is needed to meet these requirements. It may be that we can’t develop the programming but that we can work on the writing of the programme. Here again the fact that we speak English is an advantage that many other companies lack. Another possible area could be the assembly of these various technical devices; many countries have large factories used solely for the purpose of assembling devices for the main technology companies of the world.

The beauty of Information Technology is that there are jobs available at all levels of training from data entry to systems managers. It is an industry that can provide a large number of jobs in a short period of time but is an industry that is rapidly changing. Those who are engaged in this sector must be prepared to continually update their skills.

Jamaica’s beauty offers the perfect backdrop for use in feature films and although not abundant in number there is a group of well trained actors who can play roles in these movies. There needs to be groups that can assist overseas developers in locating sites, recruiting talent and any other support that is needed. Apart from films being made here there is also the opportunity to make our own. The changes in modern technology have now made the whole process of film making so much easier that it is now possible to produce a movie at a fraction of the cost that it used to take. In addition the computer technology now allows for film editing, sound editing and insertion of background scenery all with a few key strokes. Additionally the digitization of cinema screens means that movie producers can now choose where they want their movies to be shown.

An additional opportunity that has arisen in the film industry is that of computer animation. Today all animated movies use computer animation and many of the action movies use computer animation for the visual effects. Something that is not well known is that the animation for films is often not done in the United States. Instead the work is subcontracted to companies throughout the world who do a lot of the design, a recent example of this is the movie Despicable me where the animation was done in the former eastern block countries. These projects also need large numbers of workers in order to complete the mammoth task on time. Some of these movies have been huge hits despite being primarily targeted towards children. A more recent trend is that of 3D movies which again utilize computer animation in addition to the special lenses used in filming.

Closely linked to the film industry is the television industry which needs locations for its movies, series and documentaries. The television industry, excluding sports, is almost as large as the film industry and has similar needs to the film industry. There will also be opportunities to sell our own local productions to overseas companies. One example of a missed opportunity is that of our music concerts. If these were properly recorded they could be resold throughout the world and given the popularity of our music would bring in much needed foreign exchange earnings. Of course we must not forget about another area of potential that of music videos which could be produced here for showing on MTV, BET or VH-1 for example.

The opportunities are there we simply have to open our eyes in order to see them.