It is a very good sign that the opposition party is enunciating the issue of the proposed oppressive tax package on Jamaicans as they are now doing. It is about time.

The country is now clearer on the approach used in composing budgets and tax packages by previous governments. The majority who cannot afford to run the country must do so anyway, as this is what the 'market' wants.

Fortunately, the majority is now rejecting this traditional, unworkable approach to economic development, as is the case elsewhere around the world.

distorting the facts

This critical issue is being treated in a most cavalier fashion and is really unbecoming of some of our political and civic leaders who obviously see it as business as usual and are seemingly trying to distort the facts and make excuses for our inability to deal with our economic problems successfully.

The latest statements from the Government are suggesting that the tax package was imposed on us by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other oppressive conditionalities as well, even after the Government itself said that this was not so and that it was up to us to design our own credible package for consideration for funding by the IMF.

The IMF, in an initial statement this year on the Jamaican economy, said that Jamaica's debt burden was unsustainable and had to be dealt with as a matter of priority, as so many analysts had said before. Yet, the Government walked away from dealing with this number one problem in the economy, which still haunts us.

unsustainable economic

For whatever reasons, it did not and so it cannot now come to the Jamaican people to punish us for these mistakes, or try to foist upon us an unsustainable economic package while there are so many workable alternatives that have been given to the Government.

This is a time for reality and to face the truth, or we may not be able to turn this crisis into a new opportunity for Jamaica. It is incumbent on the Government and the Opposition to come clean, bare the facts on the IMF and the handling of the economy and the politics of Jamaica once and for all.

We are, etc.,

Jamaicans United for Sustainable Development

musicman978@hotmail.com

P.O. Box 1823

Kingston 8