The Tribune

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham dismissed the Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis yesterday who had previously criticised him for his handling of the economy while he was Prime Minister from 2007 to 2012.

Speaking with reporters at his law chambers on Cable Beach, Mr Ingraham said that in life, politics, and sports, there are various leagues, and Mr Halkitis, “with the greatest of respect, is not in the league I play in.”

On Wednesday in the House of Assembly, Mr Halkitis said that Mr Ingraham was advising the government to do something that he himself had not practised during the FNM’s 2007 to 2012 term in office, of limiting government expenditure in the face of a growing deficit. As a result, Mr Halkitis said that he outrightly rejected any advice offered from the former Prime Minister.

“You see the former Minister of Finance,” Mr Halkitis said at the time, “is saying that the economy is not growing so revenue is not forming, so you should have cut expenditure. But let’s see if he took his own advice.

“In 2008 to 2009 they forecast that they would collect $1.574 billion. Actually they collected $1.331 billion, you collected $242 million less than forecast. Now with the recession you would collect less money than you would have expected.

“Did you take your own advise? That following year, did you say I’ve got to cut spending because my revenue is not performing? No. Because in 2009-2010 you raised your spending to $1.729 billion,” Mr Halkitis said.

Mr Halkitis was responding to Mr Ingraham’s comments on Tuesday when he said that the PLP’s $700 million deficit projection was inflated. He said the government should not have increased expenditure, but should have cut back on spending.