Thread by @jlpjamaica

#HappeningNow: Senator @kaminajsmith addresses the gathering of #AreaCouncilThree at the Porus Primary School. #PartnershipForProsperity

@kaminajsmith KJS: Area Council 3 it’s good to be here. It’s important that I take the time to acknowledge the leadership of the Area Council.

@kaminajsmith It is good to be here with you this afternoon. It is good to be with family. As you know, my ministerial responsibilities carry me all across the world, but truly truly – No weh no betta dan yaad.

@kaminajsmith Today I want to discuss the topics of Preparation, and Awareness.

@kaminajsmith PREPARATION
We need to prepare ourselves, Jamaica is counting on the JLP. All across the country Jamaicans generally and overwhelming understand and feel that we are on the road to prosperity.

@kaminajsmith The development taking place at all levels, in all areas of National life is clear to see. That however is not enough. We have made the mistake before where we believe that by our good works we will be known.

@kaminajsmith We cannot just rock back and say “yeah man Holness a gwaan good” We have to not only deal with government.  We have to attend to our politics and prepare to once again face the electorate.

@kaminajsmith We are three and a half years into a 5 year term, and we cannot wait until the last minute to start to enumerate and canvass.  And we can’t wait for Belmont Road to do everything.  We ALLLL have a role to play.

@kaminajsmith We also cannot be distracted by what other people are doing – God Bless them -, Regardless of whatever is happening in John Shop, we need to do the work we have to do to get ourselves ready.

@kaminajsmith Let me be clear, I AM NOT SAYING ANYBODY IS READY TO TAKE ANY ACTION.  I am just saying that the game has changed.  We cannot start political work at the last minute.

@kaminajsmith Our election machinery can’t be the worst – as we know MP Ann Marie Vaz and MP Norman Dunn can tell us! BUT we can’t make any mistakes because desperation (and the opposition sounds desperate) can make a powerful opponent.

@kaminajsmith We have to make sure we are doing the work in the interests of the Jamaican people, show that we deserve their support, engage and share our plans.  BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO CANVASS AND ENUMERATE or nuh care how much plans and successes we have…

@kaminajsmith Area Council 3 is very important to the JLPs future prospects. By my calculations we have 4 constituencies which should be in the JLP column. We however can’t sit together here and wish for it. We have to work for it.

@kaminajsmith Now is the time for party workers, members and supporters to buckle down & enumerate at least 200 more people in marginal constituencies BEFORE SEPTEMBER 29.  And then after that date, you set yourself to enumerate another 250 for the next Voter’s List date when it is issued.

@kaminajsmith That way whenever the Prime Minister decides to call an election, you will have done the work AGAIN, I AM NOT SENDING ANY SIGNAL – I know the Opposition have all kinds of rumours out there.

@kaminajsmith I am just saying we must always do the work. We must always be ready to put the Jamaica Labour Party in the best position to win an election whenever it is called.

@kaminajsmith AWARENESS

Labourites, we can’t sit down and expect the PNP to tell our story. That’s our job. It does not make sense that we get vex about comrades including those who claim to be independent who do not fairly assess our performance.

@kaminajsmith We have to carry the news of the JLP street and lane! We have to know the facts so we can call them out when they do not speak the truth.  We have to look at the social media post that was sent in 2013 as if it was this year, so we can call it out.

@kaminajsmith We have to make sure we know what we are talking about.

Let me to share some of the positives with you:

There have been steady gains in the economy. Positive Growth for 17 consecutive quarters. Record high job numbers.

@kaminajsmith Record lows in unemployment including youth unemployment, we are still working on making it even lower, but no matter how some people never have anything good to say, even they have to say that we are doing good with employment.

@kaminajsmith You might have heard some recent discussions about poverty being up – I have just 2 or 3 points to make on that – (first, is that the numbers published were for 2017 – 2 years ago, and one year after we took office.

@kaminajsmith Secondly, the figures appear to have been going up and down a bit due to different factors; and third, it is important to note however that the poverty figures in 2016 and 2017.

@kaminajsmith Fact: Each year of the JLP administration were signifcantly lower than any year of the former PNP administration which had poverty rate peaking at 24 percent.

@kaminajsmith The year in which the Leader of the Opposition was made Gleaner Man of the Year in 2015, poverty went up to 21%.  So don't be worried by the opposition who are trying to trick people with their hypocritical statements.

@kaminajsmith They underestimate the ability of the people to understand the issues. This is why we have to share the facts with others so they can’t get tricked. BUT Maybe the most important point to make on this matter however, is that we are working hard to make people’s lives better.

@kaminajsmith We are not only focused on getting these numbers down, but we are focused on making sure that we make as many people’s lives better as we can – right across Jamaica.

@kaminajsmith We love the poor but we believe we can end poverty – that is our mission.  It is not only Jamaica’s mission, it is a mission being taken on all over the world as part of a United Nations plan focused on what they call the SDGs.

@kaminajsmith Ending Poverty is Goal #1 and Jamaica and this government is working towards this goal.

@kaminajsmith 3. This administration has taken tangible steps to alleviate the burden on society's most vulnerable. Our $1.5 plan was one step taken in that direction –  people who earn up to 1.5 have stopped paying income tax ! We also increased the minimum wage.

@kaminajsmith 4. The investments in infrastructure are visible across the length and breath of the country. New roads, new water pipelines, new pumps, fixing old roads and fixing old pumps too.

@kaminajsmith New class rooms, new Clinics,  New elevators in Hospitals that have not had proper working elevators for years; and most impressively New houses! The @AndrewHolnessJM admin by the end of our term will have built 20,000 homes for Jamaicans. This is more than any other admin!

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM We are doing this while we have brought down the NHT interest rates, increased the amount you can get for not only the NHT loan, but for the construction loan for service lots.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM we have also widened the salary bands for people to be eligibile for NHT loans, and made the rules more flexible about who can put their points together to get a house. .

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM So is not like we building house and no body can get them, we are making it easier for more people to own their own home.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM This administration has had its challenges. Perception of corruption may be one. And I say perception because Jamaica has a deep problem with this issue across the board – a real issue - public and private sectors, and at all levels of society.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM How it is dealt with by a political administration is one of the big efforts that this administration is making – but it is something which cannot be fixed in a day.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM It is important to note that crucial steps have been taken by the JLP administration to improve the response of the state to the scourge. We have passed the Integrity Commission Act.  We also passed the MOCA bill.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM Also we have a Prime Minister, who unlike former Prime Ministers under the PNP admin, has taken strong and decisive action to deal with situations which have arisen and which cause concern to the public.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM These are not easy things to deal with, but our Prime Minister has been strong.  He listens to the people and he responds to the people’s concerns and the Cabinet has supported him as he bears the heavy load.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM We know that you do too, even as we all continue to work together to build a better Jamaica. #NewJamaica

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM Labourites I could not speak to you today without dealing with the recent utterances by two senior members of the PNP executive who disparaged members of the Jamaica Labour Party.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM It is not the first time – decades ago they called us Gully Government although we all now give thanks for the visionary drainage systems that now need expansion as our cities have grown and expanded.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM Decades ago they called us “dutty” because of the number of labourers who joined our Party as Bustamante fought for their rights  - better wages and better work conditions.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM As they were then, their words are today shameful, and inexcusable.   BUT we not going down that road with them at all.  We can do better.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM When we say we are a Party whose Leader was born after Independence, it means something to us.  It doesn’t make us perfect automatically, but it means we get that Jamaica is looking to the future, to the next generation.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM I want to ask you – counsel you - Do not make the same mistakes that those comrades made.    Jamaica is past that sort of violent, divisive rhetoric from the political platform.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM If their so called “New generation” still has not gotten it, then we can’t help them, and we can’t be distracted by them.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM From we were campaigning in Opposition we were talking about Partnerships.  This is something we believe in, and it is something Jamaica is behind.  Now is not the time for nastiness and division.  Our young people not in dat.  Dem a deal wid Prosperity.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM Now is the time for building and for building partnerships.   Everybody has a role in this.  Every Jamaican has a role they can play in building Jamaica.  From the Prime Minister to the boys and girls in school.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM But because I am on a political platform today I will point out from the Prime Minister, the Deputy Leader, your executive, your canvas experts, your runners – we have to all be about building, about doing what we do best.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM We have to be about working together.   We have to be about spreading the message of the labour party which is about building up Jamaica, about building up each other; about Prosperity for all Jamaicans.  So we have to do the work and spread the word.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM We have to not only be committed to the work, but we have to make sure everybody knows about what we are doing together, and how they can be a part of it too!

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM We have to show that we understand that we don’t need to tear down people to feel better about ourselves.  We don’t have to be arrogant because we are doing well. We can share the good news with humility & respect so that more & more people want to be a part of what we are doing.

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM Labourites,  now is the time to get ready, the time to do the work, the time to spread the good news and the time to prepare for another JLP victory!

@kaminajsmith @AndrewHolnessJM @threadreaderapp unroll