Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:28:29 PM)
Who do you think should win the elections
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:28:29 PM)
Whom ever the Jamaican People want to win the elections.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:29:04 PM)
Hello Mr P....just want to say keep up the good work you are the one sane voice we hear in the wilderness.
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:29:04 PM)
Thank you.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:29:32 PM)
Mutty, when are we going to get an opportunity to listen to your program over the internet?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:29:32 PM)
Possible quite soon.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:32:17 PM)
What do you think of the Denham town & JLP scandals?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:32:17 PM)
I am not sure what the scandal is, I read the story carefully and I could not the scandal in it. They spent $77 million building 1183 housing units, unit cost of $65,000 at today's prices baring in mind that the Jamaican dollar is today worth roughly 1/10 of what it then worth in 1998. $650,000 per unit which does not seem to me scandalous.

Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:32:55 PM)
Hello mutty i have been away from Jamaica for 10 years but very interested in the politics of my country. Do you think Antoinette Hauton's party can bring a much needed reform to Jamaican politics.
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:32:55 PM)
Perhaps a reform of comedy.

Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:36:44 PM)
Do you believe that this Govt. is interested in equal rights and justice?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:36:44 PM)
I don't see the evidence of it. I get the impression that the Prime Minister for example, was far more concern about the police mishandling tourist luggage in Port Antonio than he was about the brutal murder by the security elements of the security forces of Michael Gayle, a mental challenged person or the scenes shown on TVJ of Superintendent R. Adam and his men holding high powered rifles at arms length above their heads and emptying the magazines indiscriminately without aim into an area populated by Jamaican citizens.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:38:14 PM)
Why is it u choose to remain on the outskirts of the political arena instead of rolling our sleeves up and get in?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:38:14 PM)
There is a job for a journalist and a job for a shoemaker, a teacher, a doctor and a politician. I am not a politician.

Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:40:50 PM)
What would strategies would you recommend to bring the Jamaican economy in line
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:40:50 PM)
That is a question requiring a long answer, but essentially try to make Jamaica into a place that is hospitality to investment among other things by cultivating a strong work ethics and as far as possible reducing the exorbitant cost of government among other things by drastically reducing if not all together eliminating corruption.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:41:20 PM)
Would you ever run as an MP?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:41:20 PM)
No. I don't think I am of the stuff of which MP are made of.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:44:14 PM)
Hello Mr P ....Do you think its possible for us to achieve ..That kinder gentler society ..that the PM speaks about ...With folks like you friend Decardova Valentino Adams still in the system...Do you remember asking Mr. McMillian ..If he thinks he could walk on water ...When he had taken over the command
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:44:14 PM)
To achieve the kinder gentler society we would have to begin recognizing that primer purpose of government is to secure the rights of its citizens, the right to life, to liberty and to the pursue of happiness. That is where we begin and we are far from recognizing it in Jamaica today.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:45:21 PM)
How long have you been in the talk show business. Do you have any other plans e.g. politics?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:45:21 PM)
I have been in the talk show business on and off since the late 1960s and I think it a little late to be contemplating a career in politics.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:45:52 PM)
Where did you go to university Mr Perkins?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:45:52 PM)
I never went to university.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:48:38 PM)
Now that Netserv is back , so says the Minister, was the scandal talk justified?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:48:38 PM)
Yes, I think so, I think it was. But I also think that Mr. Paulwell, the Minister, was right when he said in Parliament that Jamaica is not a place that is friendly to investment and the reason why they got into the business of NetServ in the first place is related to that fact. If it was not so, if Jamaica was not a place friendly to investment, there would be not necessarily putting up money for companies like NetServ.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:49:59 PM)
Do you think Bobby Pickersgill will be able to patch even half the roads even of the flood rains did not come....
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:49:59 PM)
I do not think so, not only unless the government plan to abandon Jamaica's massive debt.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:50:20 PM)
Are u earning as much as they say you are?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:50:20 PM)
No.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:51:15 PM)
Do you believe that the Prime minister should declare a day of restoration?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:51:15 PM)
Well it seems to me that restoration is going to require more than a day. But I don't see what harm can be done by it.

Question(Jun 5, 2002 7:52:04 PM)
Do you think this call for "fabricated scandal" is a last straw for the PNP?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:52:04 PM)
I don't know I think they are in some difficulty but I don't know what the out come is going to be.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:52:44 PM)
MR PERKINS I MUST SAY WHEN I HEARD YOU ON THE RADIO WHEN I WAS IN JAMAICA I MUST SAY I HEARD A LOT OF WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IN JAMAICA AS TO WHAT I HEAR IN THE NEWS AND EVERY TIME I COME TO JAMAICA I LISTEN TO YOUR SHOW TO REALLY HEAR WHATS UP
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:52:44 PM)
Thanks.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:54:14 PM)
Mr Perkins, Do you think that the Government of Jamaica uses flood relief work and providing for the people as a way of campaigning for the upcoming general elections?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:54:14 PM)
Well, the flood relief work have barely started, so I do not belief it is fair to say that at this time. But I suppose in the nature of politics they would hope to reap for political benefits from whatever they are able to do.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:56:18 PM)
"reform of comedy" can you elaborate??
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:56:18 PM)
Well I get the impression that the UPP is rather a comical group. Its one of the founders who resigned recently told us that God had commanded her to form the party, but have now told her to come out of it. Implying I supposed he has changed his mind.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:56:46 PM)
Mr. Perkins...I must say I am very happy to see that there is some one who cares about the status of the country....Please keep up the good work.
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:56:46 PM)
Thanks, I will try.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 7:59:53 PM)
hi mutty and welcome to cyber land. what is your perception on reforming ja? and does the parties that are there now have the resources to do so?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 7:59:53 PM)
I take it that you mean intellectual resources. I think Jamaica suffers from a serious intellectual deficit arising because of the commitment of people who should be helping the society to think to the tribalistic politics that the Prime Minister describe as "the fight for scarce benefits and political spoils (that has contributed to polarized society in which we operate as hostile tribe that seems to be perpetually at war..."
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 8:02:28 PM)
Mr. Perkins, do you believe that country is still suffering from the IMF hold that was introduce so many years ago?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:02:28 PM)
I don't know the country ever suffered from an IMF hold, what Jamaica suffer from is mis-government. It was corrupted and incompetent government that created the problems of the 1970s and that similarly has created the problems of 1990s including the massive problem of debt, disinvestment and low productivity and deepening poverty.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 8:03:25 PM)
We've turned a blind eye to stuff; but do u believe the Jamaican people are the ones to be blame for the injustice and abuse of power carried out by the government.
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:03:26 PM)
In a sense yes because it is they who have permitted it.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 8:06:06 PM)
I was in JA in Feb and to my surprise nothing has in the ghetto areas ,also the evidence of 2 distinct society the very rich and very poor well. Do u see any change In the foreseeable future.
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:06:06 PM)
I don't know there are any every rich people in Jamaica. I don't know anybody in Jamaica who approximate Bill Gates but there are people in Jamaica who dwell in a pulling poverty and who that injustice for granted. For that situation to change there is going to have to be in Jamaica politics a revolutionary transformation.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 8:09:15 PM)
Do you feel that most of the problem the country is faced with is due to the lack of understanding of the government by the poor people?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:09:15 PM)
No, I think it has more to do with the lack of concern for the poor people by the government. The paradigm of power by which Jamaica is governed came from the plantation. On the plantation there were people living in the great house who has power, personal power which they use in their own interest. They were not accountable to the people in barracks and had no responsibility to them to use power for their benefits. That is the pattern that continues.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 8:11:06 PM)
Mr. Perkins journalism is all about reporting the facts and creating a true reflection of the issues. Your program lacks that integrity Mr. Perkins. Have u a personal vendetta against the government?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:11:06 PM)
You have expressed a judgement which I respect your right to do, but since I do not share you conclusion I not sure it would be for me to go ahead to attempt to answer the question.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 8:11:55 PM)
After all is said and done. Do u think we can get change in the economy providing we get rid of the miracle worker who keeps coming up with bogus improvement in our finance dept. or perhaps we'd have to have a coup inorder to get rid of them. Beside does any of their kids live here?
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:11:55 PM)
I don't know if any of their kids live hear.
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Question (Jun 5, 2002 8:12:32 PM)
Mutty how is your relationship with your colleague Deacon Thwaites.
Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:12:32 PM)
The relationship is cordial.
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Wilmot Perkins (Jun 5, 2002 8:14:24 PM)
I would like to thank the Go-Jamaica audience for having me on the Chat Online and for the kind things you have said. I hope I will come back again to answer those questions I did not get answer. Good luck to you all.
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