JAN 10

By Francis Alexis

It is a privilege, pleasure and honour for me, on behalf of the People's Labour Movement (PLM) , to extend to you, Sisters and Brothers, warmest best wishes for the New Year 2004.

Every New Year brings its own challenges and expectations, reflected in the New Year resolutions we traditionally make.

It is obvious, though, that this New Year 2004 presents us with extra-ordinary challenges, even while we look forward to it with great expectations.

After all, we start off this year facing the reality that the general elections of 27th November last have left us with three election petitions filed in the High Court. This necessarily means that, politically, uncertainty surrounds us.

Moreover, still hanging is the question whether persons who were not resident here on the voter registration day may properly be on the voters list.

This is still to be answered by the High Court. This is in a matter separate and distinct from the election petition, and argued before the elections themselves.

While decisions on all those matters are pending, the national economics situation may be affected adversely. Investment needs certainty and a settled environment politically.

Quite apart from the negative economics which flows from unsettled politics, our PLM analysis is that our national economy has since about 2000 been in crisis.

Different sectors have been experiencing crisis to differing
degrees. Thus, no doubt, agriculture has been worse hit than tourism. But, as with PLM, so too in private sector perspectives, generally, our national economic sectors have for some time now been trapped in crisis.

In this, our national debt has reached frightening proportions.
These economic crises are retarding the needs of the people for jobs, lower cost of living, housing, health, education, a better standard of living. Correcting these economic problems requires appropriate policy decisions in Cabinet, with corresponding legislative measures in Parliament.

This calls for dialogue, consultation and consensus, virtually as if in a context of a government of national unity, given the current composition of Parliament politically.

In the circumstances, certain attitudes of yesterday have no
place today in the building of tomorrow.
PLM stands ready to continue playing its part in dialogue and consultation in the national interest.

PLM will continue making available its views, both on what is to be done, and on the way things should be done.

PLM will make its contributions in these matters on the basis of a concept of constructive engagement. This is only consistent with the established philosophy of PLM that PLM puts people
first.

As we as a people go forward to meeting the challenges which face us, we will need the blessing of God for our nation to make it through in peace.
Let us all therefore pray specially for God_s blessings on our Nation this New Year.

With such entreaties, we in PLM wish all of you, Sisters and Brothers, peace, prosperity and more for the New Year 2004.
Happy New Year 2004!

(Dr. Francis Alexis is the Political Leader of the People's Labour Movement)