BUDGET COMMUNICATION 2021
BY HON. ELSWORTH JOHNSON, MP MINISTER OF FINANCIAL SERVICES, TRADE & INDUSTRY AND IMMIGRATION
THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021
INTRODUCTION
MR. SPEAKER,
BEFORE I BEGIN MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE 2021/2022 BUDGET DEBATE, I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK GOD FOR THE COUNTLESS BLESSINGS THAT HE HAS BESTOWED UPON ME AND MY FAMILY, AND FOR THE PRIVILEGE HE HAS GIVEN ME TO SERVE MY COUNTRY IN SUCH A PROFOUND AND MEANINGFUL WAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF YAMACRAW. THEY HAVE SUPPORTED AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT I DO IN OUR GREAT CONSTITUENCY.
THEY CONTINUE TO ALLOW ME INTO THEIR HOMES. THEY CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS AND TO SUPPORT OUR CONSTITUENCY INITIATIVES.
IT IS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF YAMACRAW AND THE WIDER BAHAMIAN COMMUNITY THAT I RISE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS BUDGET. AND FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL.
(I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY MENTION THE CAT ISLAND BUSINESS OUTLOOK HAPPENING JUNE 11 2021 WHERE I WILL BE MAKING THE KEY NOTE ADDRESS. I AM DELIGHTED, OVERJOYED AND HONOURED TO BE GIVING THE KEY NOTE ADDRESS AT THE FIRST EVER CAT ISLAND BUSINESS OUTLOOK TOMORROW MORNING SO WE CAN DISCUSS THE SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT, DIVERSIFIED, SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF CAT ISLAND. WE HAVE A BRILLIANT SLATE OF SPEAKERS AND I ENCOURAGE ALL BAHAMIANS, NOT JUST CAT ISLANDERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL EXPANSION OF CAT ISLAND.…)
MR. SPEAKER,
THIS GOVERNMENT IS TASKED WITH PRESENTING A NATIONAL BUDGET DURING ONE OF THE MOST UNCERTAIN AND UNPRECEDENTED TIMES IN OUR NATION’S HISTORY.
NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER THE LANDFALL OF THE MOST DEVASTATING HURRICANE TO REACH OUR SHORES, WE FOUND OURSELVES BATTLING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
IN RAPID SUCCESSION, HURRICANE DORIAN AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WREAKED HAVOC ON THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF BAHAMIANS.
NONE OF US WERE LEFT UNAFFECTED, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
UNPRECEDENTED LOSS OF LIFE, THE DESTRUCTION OF HOMES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, BUSINESS CLOSURES, AND UNEMPLOYMENT ALL CONVERGED ON OUR LITTLE ISLAND NATION.
MR. SPEAKER,
NO GOVERNMENT HAS HAD TO CONTEND WITH SUCH DIRE, DRASTIC CIRCUMSTANCES. YET, HERE WE ARE.
WE FACED DOWN THE TERRIFYING HURRICANE DORIAN, MR. SPEAKER
...TO CONTINUE SEE ATTACHED
