Voting for budget is leaving the altar with your sins- Hon Fahie to backbenchers

Speaking during the debate of the Appropriation Act of 2017 in the House of Assembly (HoA) on February 28, 2017, Hon Fahie said he listened as the backbenchers spoke against the project happening now as they had various concerns, however, the defining moment for them would be when the time came to vote for the budget to pass.
According to Hon Fahie, "If we are going to make a stand, it has to be serious. The provisions are in here, it will have to be taken out. And if the government is going to make a stand that they are going ahead with it and pass the budget with these monies in it, it is telling the people all the talk was nice, it was a show, but you have decided to come to the altar and leave with your sins."
Backbenchers, Hon Delores Christopher (R5), Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines (R6), Junior Minister for Tourism Hon Archibald C. Christian (AL) and Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) have all said they object to the project going forward now.
Junior Minister for Trade and Investment Promotion Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) did not state outright that he was against the airport runway extension project now but said he was aware of the many concerns expressed by the other Members of the House and that he was confident their concerns would be addressed.
Proud of backbenchers
"They want the project, but not now, then you cannot pass a budget with any funding for it now. That money cannot be passed in the budget if you are serious, because we will be here giving the people lip service," Hon Fahie argued, noting that he was proud of the stance taken by the backbenchers and that it reminded him of when he was in Government and voted against projects he did not agree with even though his stance nearly cost him his job.
The only frontbench Minister to make his contribution to the budget so far is Minister for Communications and Works (R4) who did not state his position on the airport project happening now, much to the concern of Hon Fahie.
"It is clear that they are going to borrow a couple million dollars for capital project and also to look for financing for the airport project, " stated Hon Fahie as he said he was curious to see what where the positions of the Ministers as he said if they decided to go against the wishes of the backbenchers it would only prove that the backbenchers are not taken seriously in the HoA.
Some $400,000 has been allocated for the $153.5M airport project in the 2017 Budget.


23 Responses to “Voting for budget is leaving the altar with your sins- Hon Fahie to backbenchers”
The rest get less.
If the backbenchers voted for it. They are smarter than you Fahie.