Caribbean News
PDM setting up Shadow Cabinet; says they need “Fighters” not ‘show-offs’
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, February 11, 2023 – The People’s Democratic Movement has given the Progressive National Party a failing grade on their governance of the country so far and says they are extending an invitation to political hopefuls across the country to join the PDM party in its ‘renaissance period’.
The resounding ‘F’ is no surprise from an opposition party and came from Deputy Party Leader, Robert Been in a press conference on February 9th. Been was buttressed in his assessment by Leader of the Opposition Edwin Astwood, and Opposition Appointed Member Alvin Garland who attended along with National Chairman Ezra Taylor.
It was Taylor however who revealed, when questioned, that the PDM is putting together a shadow cabinet to hold the government accountable for the next two years as elections draw closer.
“We are in the process of formulating our candidate’s committee and finalizing the material in terms of what we’re
looking for in candidates this party understands that the country is going to need some dynamic leadership. We will be adding to this dynamic team to give the Turks and Caicos leaders that they can be proud of.”
Taylor explained that the PDM already had significant amounts of qualified candidates knocking on their doors, just waiting to take up a spot in the cabinet.
“We want persons who are going to serve this country, not the PDM, to prepare themselves if they are interested in candidacy. We want everyone who is interested in serving this country as a candidate, when we open this process, to express your interest.”
Taylor emphatically outlined what the job is about, as the PDM executives on Thursday morning identified themselves as “the Government in waiting.”
“It’s gonna be all about the people of this country, it is not for self-aggrandizement, it is not for self-enrichment, it is not for popularity, it is not for fame, it is not to be seen in high-stake events, this is about Turks and Caicos Islanders, we have lost a lot of ground in this country which we need to regain. We are going to need fighters who are going to get into this battle with us, to regain and recapture…. it is ours.”
Taylor encouraged all young people saying that no one could govern for them, but themselves, and maintaining that the PDM was looking for young people to “step up step forward and help him set the agenda.”
“We are well on our way to preparing this party for an election and one that we are going to be successful at,” he promised, maintaining that the upcoming shadow cabinet would be speaking for the PDM, giving a hint at how they plan to address issues of the day if they are elected.
Alvin Garland, the PDMs appointed member in Parliament also used the opportunity to announce he plans to seek endorsement from his party in a bid to offer as a candidate in the next general election.
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
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