Ascot graduation row, Parliament decorum and FSC transfer dominate July 1 policy debate

Three national issues shared the spotlight on Wednesday's current-affairs programme: the controversy at Ascot Primary School in Portmore, St. Catherine; renewed concern about behaviour in Parliament; and questions over a $500 million transfer from the Financial Services Commission to central government. The Ascot matter grew after some students were treated differently at their graduation ceremony based on their Primary Exit Profile, or PEP, performance, prompting criticism from parents, educators and the Ministry of Education, which said the school's approach was inappropriate. The principal has since apologised.

Jamaica Teachers' Association president Mark Malaba said the decision was reached by the school administration and parents, but he maintained it was not the best course given the fallout and the possible effect on children seen as not doing well in the PEP exam. He argued that the uproar also pointed to a wider "apartheid education system" in Jamaica, citing unequal funding, weaker infrastructure at some schools and the way success and failure are judged in the education system. Malaba said the incident should be treated as a lesson, and added that if the ministry objected to the plan, the proper channel under the education code of regulations would have been through the board chairman.

The programme also turned to conduct inside Parliament. Former House Speaker Marisa Dalrymple Philibert said respect for the Speaker's rulings must remain absolute and argued that the current Parliament has reached a level of behaviour not seen before. Political analyst Nadine Spence agreed, saying the issue was not only the standing orders but also the disrespect being shown to Speaker Juliet Holness. Commentator Jermaine Barrett called the conduct unacceptable as well, though he argued that the Speaker's abrasive and sometimes belittling tone can also deepen tensions. Spence rejected the idea that Holness should be barred from the post because she is the prime minister's wife, saying that would unfairly restrict a woman's political ambition. Both commentators said that once a Speaker is duly elected, members should respect the office.

In the final discussion, Opposition spokesman on finance and the public service Julian Robinson said the FSC's $500 million transfer had weakened the regulator's financial position and helped to drive a steep increase in fees. He said one company involved in insurance and pension fund management could move from paying a flat annual fee of $500,000 to close to $120 million because the structure now uses a percentage of total assets. Robinson argued that companies would pass on those added costs, pushing up life, home and motor insurance premiums at a time when Jamaicans are already dealing with higher food and fuel prices. He said the money should be returned and any fee changes phased in. Finance Minister Fayval Williams has said the transfer followed an assessment that the FSC's operations and long-term viability would not be harmed, and that it is not unusual for self-financing public bodies with excess reserves to contribute surplus funds to government revenue needs.