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Last Updated: Jun 25, 2019 - 11:06:53 AM |
Senator Dr. Michael Darville
Contribution to the 2019 - 2020 Budget Communication
June 24th, 2019
Thank you, Madam President.
This afternoon I rise to give God thanks for this wonderful opportunity to serve; and for wisdom and guidance as I stand to my feet to make my contribution to this 2019-2020 budget debate.
Madam President, this administration has tried to paint its 2019-2020 Crayola budget as being people centric. But the truth of the matter is “this budget has nothing to do with people,” but all to do with giving tax breaks to the rich and special interest groups on the backs of the poor and the middle class. The Free National Movement administration is playing with numbers in an attempt to fool some people into believing that they are doing a great job managing the economy. But the Bahamian people are stronger, wiser, and most of us can see straight through the smokescreens of this hapless FNM administration.
Madam President, this morning I have a lot to say; but before I get into the meat of my contribution, with your leave, I would like to take a few minutes to thank Bahamians from all walks of life for their prayers and unwavering support, as we move toward rebuilding and regaining the government in 2022.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Philip Brave Davis for this wonderful opportunity to serve. Our leader is not only a compassionate man who connects with the small man; but one who possesses the intellectual ability and political will to handle the complex issues facing the nation.
In a recent meeting in Freeport, filled with PLP stalwart councillors, he outlined the scientific findings of recent polling which confirm that this FNM administration has swiftly lost popularity and that the PLP is well on its way to victory in 2022. Rebuilding from the ashes of our crushing defeat at the polls in 2017 has not been easy. But our defeat taught us that effective governance must always revolve around people and ensuring that opportunities are created that positively impact the largest numbers of our people possible.
Madam President, actions speak louder than words. After two (2) years of governance and three (3) budget cycles, the Free National Movement continues to talk what they think is a good talk, but they fail to walk the right walk. They prove over and over again that they are not concerned with people; and that their policy decisions support and protect only the rich, powerful and special interest groups like the Bay Street Boys and rich foreigners in Lyford Cay. They are con-tent in continuing to campaign and play political games at the expense of the small man, who continues to pick up the slack for the wealthy, who should be mandated by law to carry their fair share of the tax burden.
Compounding the matter, Madam President, the Minister of Finance seemed more concerned with numbers and balancing the budget to please external rating agencies, rather than addressing the pressing issues facing the poor and middle the class in this country, which they promised to do on the campaign trail.
Madam President, as far as I am concerned, this is a slap in the face to the thousands of new and young voters who supported the FNM and their fake change agenda in the last general election.
Madam President, a few weeks ago, Bahamians everywhere listened and watched with complete despair as the Minister of Finance read his flat, unimpressive 2019-2020 budget communication, which beside decreases in duty exemptions on school supplies and other items, spoke to no new policies to grow the economy, create jobs or bring meaningful relief or hope for struggling Bahamians.
Madam President, what is so disingenuous is this administration continues to blame the former administration for every one of their failures; while trying to take credit for every single government project put in place by the Progressive Liberal Party, and even patting themselves on the back for a job well done. They simply have no shame!
Madam President, just open your eyes and look around the FNM’s landscape. Most government ministers are out to lunch, lost in their own bureaucracy, and accomplishing nothing tangible; while the Prime Minister tries to micromanage ministerial portfolios, he knows nothing about. Consequently, he is neglecting Grand Bahama and investments, which fall under the office of the Prime Minister.
Madam President, we have a cabinet where the blind is leading the blind and it seems that everyone around the table has come to realize that the situation remains hopeless.
Madam President, no lie last forever; and in just two (2) years of governance, the Bahamian people have realized that this administration cannot be trusted, and their failed policies continue to demonstrate that they came to office without a plan.
Madam President, after the budget communication by the Member for East Grand Bahama, we on this side are left with more questions than answers; and like all right-thinking Bahamians, are still trying to determine why this administration is unable to meet its deficit projections, despite the sixty percent (60%) increase in VAT.
Madam President, I agree wholeheartedly with our Deputy Leader and shadow Minister of Finance, the Member for Exuma and Ragged Island, Honourable I Chester Cooper’s summation of this 2019-2020 crayon budget during his contribution in the other place. This budget is:
- Colourful but the Minister of Finance failed to collect taxes,
- Colourful yet the FNM’s projected revenue collection in the remaining few months of the last fiscal year appear to be unrealistic and questionable based on current trends.
- Colourful but the government failed to show where the VAT revenue and the borrowed two (2) billion dollars went.
- Colourful but this administration failed to meet their projected revenue.
- Colourful but we are left with a two hundred and thirty (230) plus million-dollar deficit.
- Colourful but this Free National Movement administration failed to grow the economy.
- Colourful but the government failed to admit they chopped the capital works budget at the Ministry of Works by over eighty (80) million dollars, held back payments to contracted workers and neglected maintenance to government infrastructure, all in an attempt reduce the current deficit and to make the figures look good.
Madam President, who do they think they are fooling? Where is the transparency and accountability the FNM keeps talking about? After peeling through all the layers of political rhetoric, one can fully understand why this Minnis administration chose to eliminate VAT on crayons, paper, pencils. It was simply because they wanted to colour away their incompetence and consistent blunders for the last two (2) years.
Madam President, the members opposite dodged the last midterm budget debate in order to save face or simply to buy more time to play with the revenue projection numbers. But no lie last forever; and today the people of this country are demanding accountably and transparency from all ministers and their respective ministries.
Ministry of Health and NHI
Madam President, as I begin my contribution on matters related to the Ministry of Health, the PHA and the department of Public Health, I must seize this opportunity to state how disappointed I was to hear the Prime Minister use of sick children in his attempt to discredit the PLP. I was disgusted after hearing the barrage of untrue statements about the Children’s Ward at the Princess Margaret Hospital and even more appalled at his as-sertion that the former administration would rather party than look after sick kids, in reference to allocating funds to repair that unit.
Madam President, while the Member for Englerston very promptly corrected this untruth, the Prime Minister must apologize to the Bahamian people in light of the letter from the Public Hospital Authority confirming that that in 2016, under the PLP administration, a contract was awarded to Guarantee Construction company for the roof and window replacements at a cost of three hundred seventy nine thousand, four hundred and eighty seven dollars ($379, 487.00). The project commenced in October 2016, and was completed, on budget, in July 2017. The letter further stated that plans are in progress for renovations to the interior section of the Children’s Ward South and that work is expected to commence during the upcoming year.”
Madam President, the records clearly show that a contract was issued immediately following Hurricane Mathew in October 2016, and that work was completed two months after the PLP left office. Anyone in this place would know that it would have been a disaster to begin work on the interior of the unit before the exterior work to the roof and windows was completed. But this stop, review, and cancel administration did absolutely nothing for two (2) years to begin the interior work to accommodate the sick children who would need access to this very essential unit.
In fact, Madam President, in the June 21st edition of the Nassau Guardian, it was stated that the Unit is now being used for storage. But rather than own up to their lack of incompetence, they do what they always do… Blame the PLP! My Lord, what a sad state of affairs!
Madam President, I am not surprised, however, because the Children’s Ward was not the only project that this stop, review, and cancel government stalled. It also took two years for them to complete the Cory Newbold Ward that we started before leaving office. It is also painful to see that despite detailed plans, inclusive of approved Architectural drawings for the Accident and Emergency Department, the Maternity Ward and many of our clinics in the family Islands; there is no sign of relief for patients who have no other choice but to access these essential services. Again, I could only assume, since there is no evidence to the contrary, and no report from the Minister of Health that these essential works are still in progress or are they in stop, review, and cancel mode by this FNM administration.
Madam President, in contrast, when the PLP administration we came to office in 2012, we met the now much talked about Critical Care Block under construction. This work was started under the Ingraham led Administration, and in fact, if I am not mistaken, the now Prime Minister was the Minister of Health.
Madam President, we did not stop review and cancel that essential project, but rather we continued it to completion. In fact, we had to borrow millions of dollars from First Caribbean International Bank to purchase the state-of-the-art equipment that the current Minister of Health loves to brag about, as no funding was left in place for them. The record would reflect that we did not complain, as we are aware that governance is continuous and the healthcare of the people of the country is a priority.
Madam President, during the five years of the last PLP administration, which ended in May of 2017, the visible effects of a sustained national program of health reform, included significant upgrades in infrastructure, equipment and service enhancement. Additionally, we demonstrated to the hardworking staff across the public health sector, that the PLP was keenly aware that they were the foundation for everything we did and would do all in our power to ensure that they had everything necessary to carry out their duties to the Bahamian people
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See FULL 2019/2020 Budget Communication by Senator Dr. Michael Darville attached
© Copyright 2019 by thebahamasweekly.com
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