Hon Fraser’s ‘mistrust’ of NDP Gov't offends HoA Members
Even before the passage of a 2016 $330M Budget Estimate a few weeks ago, negotiations had started with CIBC FirstCaribben International Bank to secure a loan, or a line of credit, of some $25M to keep government running. The Motion was put before the House of Assembly at its Monday April 18, 2016 Sitting to seek approval from the law making body in keeping with the Public Finance Management Act.
Hon Fraser, however, speaking during the continuation of the Eighth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly today, April 25, 2016 criticised the Government of Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith for not providing enough information on how the money was going to be used, saying that he had no faith that the money was going to be used as a “bridge” but rather as a loan.
He said the public has a right to know such information to gain confidence in the actions of government.
“How can they trust you anymore,” Hon Fraser said.
No need to borrow unless broke
Despite popular reports that the NDP Government raided the Treasury to buy and win the 2015 general Elections, Government has denied this and has insisted that it is not broke, even while musicians and other vendors were owed for months.
This prompted the Opposition Leader to remark that Government didn’t need to borrow $25M unless it wanted to admit that it was broke.
He further said he could not support the Bill unless more information was provided.
“The Premier doesn’t need my support on this bill but I am sure he wants it. But if you want it, Madam Speaker, you have to do something to get it. Show me that I can support and defend it out there on the streets because right now, Madam Speaker, I can’t support it and I can’t defend it.”
Referring again to vendors being owed by Government for months, Hon Fraser said people not being paid was hurting the economy, adding that banks are threatening to foreclose on people’s houses because they have money sitting in the Government’s treasury that they can’t access.
“That is how bad things are right now.”
Hon Fraser was of the firm conviction that the $25M would be used as a loan rather than a “bridge” as it was meant to be and that next year vendors “are still going to be waiting a year or six months, whatever is it, to get their money. By September we are going to be right where we are right now, owing people money.”
Premier offended
At this stage Premier Smith referred to a section in Standing Order 38 that states Members should not impute certain things against another. “And what the Member is doing, Madam Speaker, is wrong. He is getting up here and saying, Madam Speaker, that I am not giving him correct information. That is wrong Madam Speaker.”
After being told by Speaker of the House Ingrid A. Moses to keep the Standing Order mentioned in mind, Hon Fraser said he had full cognizance of the Standing Order which is why he started out with a quote about trust and that he pointed out why he has that mistrust about how the $25M would be used.
“It is a pattern, Madam Speaker, it is a pattern and I have no reason to believe that pattern is broken at this particular point. The Premier has the opportunity to prove me wrong. Let me see every transaction that is being done with this money. I want to see every one of them and that it is being used as this bridge that it is supposed to be for.”
According to Hon Fraser, he considered a bridge to be payments for debts already incurred in an operating sense. “Yes, that is what I consider a bridge, but I am convinced that is not what it is going to be.”
Following the Leader of the Opposition’s presentation, Fifth District Representative Hon Deloris Christopher and Junior Minister for Tourism and At Large Representative Hon Archibald C. Christian expressed their disappointment with the Leader of the Opposition for refusing to support the bill and this remark about being distrustful of Government.
Both were also of the view that the 11-2 win at the polls on June 8, 2015 was enough evidence that the public had no trust issues with the National Democratic Party Government.
Hon Christopher said Leader of the Opposition had no credibility when it came to the issue of trust, stating that the Virgin Islands Party Government was the one that brought BiWater to the territory, saddling it with a huge debt.
Hon Christian said Hon Fraser was “waffling all over the place” and accused the Opposition Leader of not being prepared to debate the bill. He also brought up the issue of BiWater and “the traffic lights at the roundabout” as poor decisions that the VIP Government had made and which had cost a lot of money.
He said during the VIP regime, monies were given for studies on drag racing and a medical school in the VI but there was not even a report to show whether those would be viable undertakings.
Hon Christian was also offended that Hon Fraser said Government had bought out BiWater and said no member had benefited from the purchase.
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21 Responses to “Hon Fraser’s ‘mistrust’ of NDP Gov't offends HoA Members”
1 drag race study (where your tax money gone)
2 medical study(where your tax money gone)
3 education study(where is your tax money)
ask the same set of former ministers who are now in the house of assembly harping on mistrust, good governance & accountable the above questions..?????....pot shouldn't call Kettle black and if you live in a glass house don't throw stones ...