THE JAMAICA ACTION PARTY
J A P
Reflections Con'td
Overall the country gained some sense of stability during the 1980’s after the turbulent years of the 1970’s. The
crime rate declined. The growth rate changes from negative to positive. The country as a whole was kept much
cleaner especially downtown which was almost spotless clean prior to which one had to pick their way through the
mounds of garbage. There were beautification projects through the country and there was an overall sense of law
and order, stability and civic pride returning to the country.
Some of the more controversial things done by the JLP government were the rationalization of the health sector
which saw many hospitals down graded or closed in preference to a more centrally located major hospital. There
was also the Spring Plain project which was the growing of winter vegetables on a high tech farm located in
Clarendon. This project failed, with the loss of millions of dollars which were put in by the Jamaican government.
There were also the incidence of market vendors being attacked, and that in which people were evicted and their
furniture thrown from high rise building because they were said to have switched when the JLP lost the 1986 local
government election. There was also an incident in which several person were shot dead in a flare up of violence
between two JLP strongholds and it was claimed that the member of parliament sat and drank beers with the
gunmen and claimed that it was a family affair and everything was settled.
One of the failure of the JLP government was it’s refusal to build on any achievement of the former PNP
government. As a result half finish housing schemes (especially those in PNP garrison area) were abandoned and
programmes such as Jamal were scaled back. We were again to see this happening again in 1989 when the PNP
returned to power and lay to waste the rebuilding of the Cornation Market started bythe JLP government.
The JLP government also faced its ‘gas protest’ in 1985 when roads were blocked over the entire island to protest
against the increase in gas price. I can recall walking from UWI where I was a student at the time to Half Way Tree
to pick up my sister and the all the way to Havendale where I was living at the time. The foreign exchange rate
remained fairly stable moving from about $2.50 in 1980 to about $5.50 at the end of the JLP term as government
in 1989. It was felt by many that the rate was kept artificially low by the then ‘auction’ system in which people would
bid for available foreign exchange and the exchange rate would be set as that of the lowest bid accepted. All
buyers, however, had to buy the foreign exchange at the price that they bid.
The robot minivans that had infiltrated the JOS bus route were legalized and started operating alongside the JOS
bus. This resulted in the demised of the already ailing JOS and transportation was taken over by the minivans on
most routes.
One of the frequent criticisms of the government was that it was a one man government as many felt that the Prime
Minister was running the entire government. This was so as he appears to be in charge of various project in
various ministry such as Spring Plain winter vegetable project and MPM which was responsible for the
beautification and cleaning of the city. The parish Councils were marginalized and many of it‘s functions and
resources transferred to central government.
In 1988 on September 12, the country was hit by hurricane Gilbert. Many persons had not taken the warning
seriously and had just treated it as just another case of ‘crying wolf’. I can recall driving from Kingston to Clarendon
on the morning of the hurricane and seeing many children, including tiny ones, on their way to school. I can still
recall the howling wind with the trees swaying back and forth as the hurricane hit the island. The hurricane which
had started in the afternoon lasted for most of the night. Next morning we awoke to find that our house was
undamaged and there were little damage in our yard except for one tree which was blown over. In general, the
area in my district did not suffer much damage. It was a different sight that met my eyes however, as I headed back
into Kingston the next day. Thousands of trees, electrical and telephone poles were scattered all over the place.
Countless houses were missing their entire roof and many other were badly damaged. Squatter settlements such
as that at Riverton City were completely wiped out. Light and telephone services were almost non existent
throughout the entire island. Stores and business places were looted of their contents. With no refrigeration, corn
beef became a common part of most meal and was vastly popular.
Foreign aid poured from all over the world in the form of needed goods and materials, as well as various personnel
to aid in the rebuilding process. The cry of victimization and claim of unfair distribution of benefits started and
increased as the distribution got underway. The restoration process was efficiently handled and sooner than most
people expected some semblance of normality started to return to the country. The sale of generators became big
business as householders and businesses seek to acquire them.
The general election which was due in November of 1989 was held in February of the following year. Despite the
decrease in the crime rate, the change from negative to positive growth and the quick rebuilding after hurricane
Gilbert, the JLP had lost its popularity from before the 1986 parish council election and was never able to regain it.
It lost the election to the PNP despite the fact that the PNP did not even put out a manifesto and most of its
candidates were the same ones from the seventies whom were soundly rejected in the 1980 election. The slogan
of the PNP was we put people first.
Overall the 80’s was a much calmer and more stable period than it was in the 70’s. There were however much
hardships as the government follows the dictates of the IMF, cut social programmes and jobs were lost in both the
public and private sector. It was during this time that the food stamp progamme was introduced.
Page 1 2 3
Overall the country gained some sense of stability during the 1980’s after the turbulent years of the 1970’s. The
crime rate declined. The growth rate changes from negative to positive. The country as a whole was kept much
cleaner especially downtown which was almost spotless clean prior to which one had to pick their way through the
mounds of garbage. There were beautification projects through the country and there was an overall sense of law
and order, stability and civic pride returning to the country.
Some of the more controversial things done by the JLP government were the rationalization of the health sector
which saw many hospitals down graded or closed in preference to a more centrally located major hospital. There
was also the Spring Plain project which was the growing of winter vegetables on a high tech farm located in
Clarendon. This project failed, with the loss of millions of dollars which were put in by the Jamaican government.
There were also the incidence of market vendors being attacked, and that in which people were evicted and their
furniture thrown from high rise building because they were said to have switched when the JLP lost the 1986 local
government election. There was also an incident in which several person were shot dead in a flare up of violence
between two JLP strongholds and it was claimed that the member of parliament sat and drank beers with the
gunmen and claimed that it was a family affair and everything was settled.
One of the failure of the JLP government was it’s refusal to build on any achievement of the former PNP
government. As a result half finish housing schemes (especially those in PNP garrison area) were abandoned and
programmes such as Jamal were scaled back. We were again to see this happening again in 1989 when the PNP
returned to power and lay to waste the rebuilding of the Cornation Market started bythe JLP government.
The JLP government also faced its ‘gas protest’ in 1985 when roads were blocked over the entire island to protest
against the increase in gas price. I can recall walking from UWI where I was a student at the time to Half Way Tree
to pick up my sister and the all the way to Havendale where I was living at the time. The foreign exchange rate
remained fairly stable moving from about $2.50 in 1980 to about $5.50 at the end of the JLP term as government
in 1989. It was felt by many that the rate was kept artificially low by the then ‘auction’ system in which people would
bid for available foreign exchange and the exchange rate would be set as that of the lowest bid accepted. All
buyers, however, had to buy the foreign exchange at the price that they bid.
The robot minivans that had infiltrated the JOS bus route were legalized and started operating alongside the JOS
bus. This resulted in the demised of the already ailing JOS and transportation was taken over by the minivans on
most routes.
One of the frequent criticisms of the government was that it was a one man government as many felt that the Prime
Minister was running the entire government. This was so as he appears to be in charge of various project in
various ministry such as Spring Plain winter vegetable project and MPM which was responsible for the
beautification and cleaning of the city. The parish Councils were marginalized and many of it‘s functions and
resources transferred to central government.
In 1988 on September 12, the country was hit by hurricane Gilbert. Many persons had not taken the warning
seriously and had just treated it as just another case of ‘crying wolf’. I can recall driving from Kingston to Clarendon
on the morning of the hurricane and seeing many children, including tiny ones, on their way to school. I can still
recall the howling wind with the trees swaying back and forth as the hurricane hit the island. The hurricane which
had started in the afternoon lasted for most of the night. Next morning we awoke to find that our house was
undamaged and there were little damage in our yard except for one tree which was blown over. In general, the
area in my district did not suffer much damage. It was a different sight that met my eyes however, as I headed back
into Kingston the next day. Thousands of trees, electrical and telephone poles were scattered all over the place.
Countless houses were missing their entire roof and many other were badly damaged. Squatter settlements such
as that at Riverton City were completely wiped out. Light and telephone services were almost non existent
throughout the entire island. Stores and business places were looted of their contents. With no refrigeration, corn
beef became a common part of most meal and was vastly popular.
Foreign aid poured from all over the world in the form of needed goods and materials, as well as various personnel
to aid in the rebuilding process. The cry of victimization and claim of unfair distribution of benefits started and
increased as the distribution got underway. The restoration process was efficiently handled and sooner than most
people expected some semblance of normality started to return to the country. The sale of generators became big
business as householders and businesses seek to acquire them.
The general election which was due in November of 1989 was held in February of the following year. Despite the
decrease in the crime rate, the change from negative to positive growth and the quick rebuilding after hurricane
Gilbert, the JLP had lost its popularity from before the 1986 parish council election and was never able to regain it.
It lost the election to the PNP despite the fact that the PNP did not even put out a manifesto and most of its
candidates were the same ones from the seventies whom were soundly rejected in the 1980 election. The slogan
of the PNP was we put people first.
Overall the 80’s was a much calmer and more stable period than it was in the 70’s. There were however much
hardships as the government follows the dictates of the IMF, cut social programmes and jobs were lost in both the
public and private sector. It was during this time that the food stamp progamme was introduced.
Page 1 2 3
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