Durrant Pate/Contributor

Opposition Leader Mark Golding is expected to put the finishing touches on a People’s National Party (PNP) alternative 2025-26 budget, as he makes his presentation in Parliament today (March 18).

Last Thursday, shadow finance minister Julian Robinson unveiled the PNP budget proposals, which would be implemented if they form the next government, advising that party leader Golding will outline the other measures in his budget speech slated to start at 2:00 pm.

On his Facebook page, Golding is inviting Jamaicans “to join me as I outline my plans for growing Jamaica so that everyone can live a good and equitable life.” 

In a renewed bid to woo voters ahead of the general elections, a key focus of Golding’s presentation will be the PNP’s transportation plan and will refer to the run-down state of the Jamaican Urban Transit Company (JUTC).

Robinson in his presentation last Thursday noted that “when the PNP left office in 2016, the JUTC was carrying approximately 62 million passengers per year”.

“Today, nine years later, the company is projected to have carried just 19 million in FY2024-25, a massive decline that reflects the lack of investment and planning in our public transportation system.”

The opposition leader will also speak on governance issues such as corruption, lack of public trust in the Andrew Holness administration, discontent with and in the public bureaucracy, salary woes among public sector workers as well as low and anaemic growth exhibited by the Jamaican economy.

He is also expected to comment on matters of national concern such as concerns regarding the environment and lack of enforcement, ailing public health sector, low housing stock and national security.