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Hon Fraser doesn’t believe budget reflects reality
Hon. Fraser yesterday February 10, 2014 walked out of the House of Assembly after deciding that participation in the budget debates was something that could not be possible because of the scheduling of the sitting and because the Opposition had insufficient time to study documents he said were only made available two days before.
He also accused Government of shutting out the Opposition and therefore shutting out the views of the Opposition’s constituents.
“When you look at the budget itself it does not represent the realities of the Territory,” said Hon. Fraser in an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online. “You have a situation in this Territory where Government has decided that they are going to build a senior citizens’ home. They had it tendered and the bids came in $13 million and $17 million range. The budget [for this] is $2 million. Any fool can see that there is some game going on here and they can’t explain to us how they are going to fund the construction of the project,” said Fraser.
He said that the Government has a hospital for which it just received the keys and it is in need of medical equipment. “The last time I checked the medical equipment was costing $10 million and I don’t see a single cent in the budget for that purchase,” he said.
“They say they are going to start construction of the airport runway extension sometime in May this year and the proposal came in to do that job was $376 million and $414 million. All they have in the budget for that project is $3 million,” said Hon Fraser. “I don’t know how they are going to finance the project…it makes no sense whatsoever,” he said.
“They have been promising this Territory ever since they took office that an agreement which this Government has signed to produce 2.3 million gallons of water a day that they are going to bring it on stream and the last thing I heard is that they are going to bring it on stream in the 4th quarter of 2014,” said Hon Fraser. He said the project will cost Government $10 million per year.
“Who are they fooling? We in the Opposition cannot sit in budget debates and through our complacency and acquiescence [allow a farce] that the Government is about to perpetrate on public,” he said.
He stated that Government has signed a protocol for effective financial management with the United Kingdom Government which requires a medium term fiscal plan be submitted. “Before that plan is submitted it must receive the written approval of the Secretary of State. Government has submitted a medium term fiscal plan and to date they can’t show me where the Secretary of State has given them written approval,” said Hon Fraser. “This is a violation of the protocol. They have also signed the same protocol which requires that all projects must be subject to procurement and tendering process,” he said.
“If what the Auditor General is saying that she is receiving petty contracts en masse, it means that these projects are not going through the process which means it is a violation of the same protocol,” he said.
“We cannot allow this to continue and be complacent and sit there not allowing the British Government to know that we are sounding the alarm. The people of the Territory are hurting. Those people who have been laid off from their jobs because of job closures they are actually hurting and nowhere in the budget are these reflected,” he said.
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12 Responses to “Hon Fraser doesn’t believe budget reflects reality”
I agree with opposition, no debate, no passing or approval of budget. Who them want to continue fooling? A project cost 13 mil you showing 1 mil, where de other 3 behind the 1. More ironic again, one cost 347 mil, you showing 3 mil, where de 47 gone? Oh maybe de ribbon on de typewrite fade. But wait, nobody using typewriter any more, is computer, so how could them res figures not there? LOL, what a laugh!!
ViP: Knock Knock
NDP: Who's there
VIP: Frasier
NDP: Sit Down!
The discussion is beyound your limited knowledge of the facts. Please do yourself a favour, don't try taking on Fraser on these matters, the man is no nonsense.