Fix Vision 2030 accountability mechanism

The Vision 2030 National Development Plan was created in 2008, with the adaptation of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, but there have not been any deliberative discussions or reviews by the central or local government until now.

The scope of the auditor general's report titled Jamaica's Preparedness for Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal's, published in September, included:

• an institutional framework for the implementation of the SDGs;

• resource allocation and capacity-building mechanisms; and

• strategies for raising awareness, monitoring and reporting on the progress of preparedness for SDG implementation.

The report points out several significant lapses in accountability that need to be with urgency by our nation's leaders, one of which is the need for a strengthening of the institutional framework that governs the Vision 2030/SDGs implementation.

According to the report, Planning Institute of Jamaica “assumed the lead role”; however, there was no documented evidence to confirm this role as the lead agency. Further, the auditor general found that the lines of accountability were unclear in the National SDG Core Group.

While we seek long-term funding for the full implementation of the SDGs, there must be a strong institutional framework that ensures our monitoring and accountability is well organised and transparent, or we will suffer mismanagement of resources.

 To this end, the report highlighted that the Ministry of Finance and Public Service has no representation on the national core group oversight committee, even though it has responsibility for collection and allocation of public revenue to allow for socio-economic development.

The report recommends that Cabinet considers “delegating overarching responsibility for coordinating the implementation”. This will “identify clear lines of accountability”. It also recommends “the formation of an internal mechanism to apprise parliamentarians of their role and the approach to be taken with respect to matters relating to SDGs”.

Although this audit did not examine SDG preparedness at the sub-national level, I wish to implore every municipal corporation to adopt this audit because SDG implementation at the local level translates to national sustainable development.

The whole of Government, including the Office of the Cabinet, must take serious responsibility for fixing these mechanisms that will serve us well long after 2030, as they seek to strengthen our long-term planning, monitoring and evaluation capabilities.

The Real Gangs of Jamaica

Since 9/11, the world became more aware of terrorism and as such an unmeasurable amount of resources have gone into the elimination terrorists and their organizations around the globe. In Jamaica, we call such organizations, gangs.

Two of the oldest gangs have become institutionalized and, as such, may not appear to be what they really are - terrorist-like organizations.

A careful review of our history should make it clear to you that these two groups have been terrorizing Jamaicans for years, plunging the nation into civil war at a point. In fact, many Jamaicans have been killed, victimized and exiled by these two gangs of the past 74 years. They have fancy and patriotic sounding names ending with "party," but they have committed more crimes than any criminal gang in the land. In fact, they should be given the titles of “Mother and Father of all Jamaican Gangs”. Through their quest for power, these entities created garrisons across the island controlled by “area leaders” and “dons” who have since mostly broken away from the control of their political masters and have done immense damage to life and property in Jamaica.

What bothers me most, however, is that they have been able to disguise themselves that few see these two terrorist organizations for what they are. And many have deep loyalty and respect for their leaders, candidates and officers. Anyone who chooses to join such a party or gang has, by that one act, disqualifies themselves as a true representative of the People. By joining one of these gangs, it shows their lack of knowledge, judgement or moral compass.

The young gang members are no different from the old guards who are training and mentor them to terrorize us in new and more modern ways. Don't be fooled by their sweet mouths or actions; birds of a feather flock together. And, as the Good Book asks, "can two walks together unless they agree?"

Could any truly informed principled person ever join or stay in a group that is a known terrorist organization?

Jamaica is ready to trash these old tethered books who still cling to their less than immaculate past and who refuse to govern to with transparency and accountability.

Voters must decide if they want to settle with continuing to give their pearls to the swine.

It's time to be free!

Rural Development Deh Back a Bush?

As the lives of those living and working in Kingston and St Andrew become synchronized with traffic detours, repaired water pipes, high rise buildings and a revitalization of downtown - these major infrastructure works would make any rural citizen like myself ask ‘wah bout us?’

It is not entirely far-fetched to consider that rural development is a back burner or just a side panel issue, many have lamented for years the state of rural communities not in mountainous regions left to in the dark ages literally, still without electricity or indoor plumbing. Communities where farm roads are still donkey tracks and you walk a mile to get public transportation. We rural folk who travel great distances to the nearest major town to access necessary services like utilities, banking, groceries, etc.

Goal 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities of the encourages policies and plans that promote positive and stronger connections between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by linking sectorial policies that affect national, regional and local governments. If we are serious about attaining any success with Vision 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) then leaving no one behind must become an integral part of our development processes.

While I’m privileged to be living in one of those major scheme developments near Old Harbour, this in itself presents a few challenges for the existing public infrastructure, environment and social fabric of the area. Within the last decade or so there have been at least 4 major phase developments adding to housing stocks in between Spanish Town and May Pen, mostly focused around the town of Old Harbour. The 2 largest being New Harbour Village and Longville Park still adding phases with Colbeck Castle development expecting to add another 8000 homes.

There have been no ‘announcements’ from any public entity on development plans for upgrading the existing infrastructure that supports these newer and older communities, will the water supply and sewage be able to withstand the needs? Will there be road expansions and better traffic management? How will security improve?

With the increased usage of these former farms and “idle” land, we are altering ecological structures as we accelerate the conversion of rural land into urban uses – which becomes environmentally unsustainable. What kind of fauna and flora is being displaced?

The necessary public facilities to maintain human settlement and development also come under extreme pressure, local schools and health facilities cannot handle the volume of students and patients.

When will rural development be in the spotlight and given the sustained effort it deserves?

Where is the Local and Central Government representation?

Longer Uniforms not Protecting our Girls

Jamaican School Uniforms

As our students return to school, again there has been familiar stories of students and parents having challenges with uniforms, this year, however, there has been less fuss about the lengths of the uniforms that are required for our school girls.

We must take serious stock of the messages we are sending to our children (boys and girls) and the wider society including those who sexually prey on our children every time we decide to make uniforms longer instead of standing up against the culture of Gender-Based Violence, sexual abuse and assault in this country.

Yetanya Francis

Seeing our girls in uniforms at ankle level should not be of comfort but rather alarm us, which challenges the idea behind these tunics - to offer some level of body hiding, chastity-like protection and rape shield? I dare say that our school administrators and all who support these length measures are either slightly misguided or naive enough to think that a few extra pieces of cloth would have saved 14-year-old Yetanya Francis from her attackers or make them think twice. The Gleaner reported in July in an article entitled “Raiding The Cradles - Children Accounted For More Than Half Of Jamaica’s Rape Victims Last Year” that the police recorded 261 children were reportedly raped in 2017, out of the 470 rape cases total.

Will we add another few inches next year? Will we be seeing wedding gowns entering school gates? But unfortunately, even in countries where women “dress modestly” by wearing full body coverings, sexual assault and rape are still common.

Is she asking for it because of what she wears?

Uniforms are also being used to temper and cover the development of a child’s body, body parts begin to expand and fill out, which in return usually elicit a response, not just from older predators but male peers. The solution is not just to make our girls more aware of these changes but altering how our boys choose to respond which means changing attitudes and culture from entitlement and power over to one of appreciation and protection.

Let us return to the true purpose of uniforms which is to give students a sense of belonging, ensuring equity and create an identity for the school in the community.

It is sad that perhaps our children who may have to lead our #MeToo moment if we adults continue to keep silent.

No Real Political Ownership of Vision 2030

“A Whole of Society Approach” in my opinion was at the centre of Jamaica’s participation in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2018), more so than the emphasis on our upgraded upper middle income and our lack of resilience. The Forum that took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York under the theme “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”.

Vision 2030

I followed with interest the presentations, and found that every Jamaican was given full ownership of the Vision 2030 National Development Plan, from conception, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, yet, there is actually very little evidence that Jamaicans are actively involved in the attainment of the national outcomes that align to the Global Sustainable Development Goals.

The Cabinet has taken ownership of Vision 2030, but should a plan of such national importance be only left to the executive to manage or should every elected representative be able to contribute fully to the monitoring of the implementation, has this National Development Plan been debated or mentioned for debate in Gordon House since its original tabling?

Minister Pearnel Charles Jnr

In his presentation at a side event organized by UNDP and the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the UN, haply titled “2030 Agenda: a whole of society approach” Minister of State Pearnel Charles Jr outlined how critical for his government that the implementation had “citizen participation and a people-centered approach by building awareness” that “full consideration of youth and gender is imperative to policy design.

 (Previous Article:http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/letters/20170309/parliament-tracking-vision-2030-progress )

Global Goals

How then can a government say there is “people-centred approach” without the peoples elected representatives tasked with forwarding their views and concerns after discourse with constituents to parliament and municipal councils, refusing to bring Vision 2030 to their constituency, to their divisions? As a matter of accountability, this boils down to political expediency for whoever is at the political helm at the time.

Politicians and their parties haven’t been able to successfully engage our citizens in these complex discussions due to the regressive thinking and victuals they have fed the citizens for decades - A MP or Councillor doesn’t see votes in explaining What is Vision 2030? and How we will attain the SDGs?

So.. the question is who are the political owners of Vision 2030? 💭