The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I HAVE purposely allowed a few days to pass, after the Prime MInister’s address to reply.

The speech drafter/writer missed the obvious to set the stage, as to “What is the state of our finances”? Surely by now Government has a precise position as at Budget Day, where we were? PM radar allows us to avoid icebergs!

If the Prime Minister had set the stage, the rest would be far more understanding, especially the following comments from the Minister of Finance.

To his comments at Rotary - Minister check urgently with the Auditor General, as to the level of pay cheque deductions and the average “take home pay”. The last time the Auditor General commented on this, I recall 70% of the civil service had an average deduction of 80% of their take home pay.

The good Minister now wants us to pay for Garbage collection, and increase water use rates! With what Minister? VAT taxes increased annual tax revenues for what?

No further recruitment - totally agreed, in fact regrettably there needs to be a certain level of fair evaluation, and checking as to some individual contracts, which might not comply with Regulations.

How you will deal with those hundreds of pre-election run-up employments, is another hot otto to deal with. The PLP knows that this is required, the IMF and S&P-Moody’s have been telling them forever.

$165m in monies owed to Education Scholarship Fund. It is said that the majority of these recipients were civil servants. If there is anything left in their pay cheques Minister, immediately garnish what is left. That was what was agreed, or seize whatever was put up as a guarantee. We cannot continue fooling around. Government money is The People’s money, not yours to use and never pay back.

The Minister of Finance had better check what else is owed…BP&L, Water & Sewerage, BTC, Aliv, Cable, Real Property and Mortgages – I suspect that is in the hundreds of millions, probably billions. Mr. Minister you want to charge folks for other services? You have to know the whole picture.

10% cut in existing Budget - well the good Minister should know the annual practice, of a Permanent Secretary in presenting their Budgets. They always cover themselves with a 10-18% increase on the previous year, which might usually have not been fully extended. This cut will make zero difference to anyone. For the 2017-18 Budget, you are covered. It is easy to cut 10% or even more from the operations votes approved. Just look at the Budget items, telephone use is horrendous and cleaning materials.

Tourism - 1.2 million stay-overs. If Baha Mar produces what it conservatively estimated it should, that would add 300,000 visitors a year. That is a guaranteed 25 per cent on what Minister Wilchcombe could produce, and that is without doing too much. Well one Minister is guaranteed to look good - not great in a year’s time. Achieved, this will virtually save our National butts!

Reduce Red Plate vehicles - you own the majority of them, except the upscale Toyota’s you lease. If only the abuse would be brought to heel? For private use only over week-ends with the gas paid for by The People!

Privatisation? Well under both we have serious reservations, as to whether we benefitted. BTC - the party who got the deal never bid. PLP promised investigation - did nothing. Cable Bahamas the Canadian, now departed, also never bid, but got the deal.

$160m borrowed for hurricane damage, and we hear from NEMA that ‘000’s of homes are still not repaired. Now we are into a new season, need serious repairs.That has to be an area for investigation. Many allegations that materials were shipped and just were shipped right back to Nassau.

Future hurricane damage and financing…why can’t we set aside $30m annually in an accrual account for this? Every year we can get hit…I know why it would not work, because the sticky fingers of you know who, will see that accrual and raid it. Surely we can buy some tarps and try to secure the leaking roofs.

Finance might recruit an old island lady, with far more sense and no degrees, who budgets her little week-in and week-out monies and survives!

Prime Minister missed opportunity you should have told us IN DETAIL really how bad it is, then make your proposals. We are no further understanding how serious the National Economy is. Government receptions are abounding…still!

Before closing, comments from the Minister responsible for Investment in GB. Suggest he picks up a copy of Hawksbill Agreement and read up - we gave a group a franchise they are responsible, not Government.

W. THOMPSON.

Nassau,

July 29, 2017.