Some members of the TCI Consultative Forum did not take lightly to the way in which press releases were issued about their actions as it relates to the budget presentation which should have been tabled today.
RTC news received the following from some members of the forum as stated:
First of all, we wish to register our disappointment in the manner in which the request by some members to defer the Budget Session from April 5th, 2011 until April 12, 2011 to allow more time to peruse the documents delivered between Friday, April 1st, 2011 and April 4th, 2011 was handled by Mrs Lillian Missick, Chairman of the Forum. Regrettably we have found ourselves placed in the unfortunate position of having to respond in the media. And though it is not our best position, we feel compelled to clarify a few points and to also avail ourselves of this opportunity to address a few issues raised by His Excellency the Governor in his response to Mrs Missick’s announcement of the cancellation of the Budget Debate.
For the benefit of the public, it is important to know that the Chair of the Forum is elected from among the members to chair Meetings of the Forum. Whilst Mrs Missick has been allowed to schedule meetings, we were not of the opinion that she was authorised to cancel meetings without first consulting the other members of the Forum. We were surprised at this Statement for that reason and also for the statements that we find to be misleading.
For your benefit we wish to present the time line and facts as it relates to the now cancelled Budget Debate. On Thursday 24th March, 2011, we were informed that there would be a closed session of the Forum on Tuesday, 28th March, 2011 to discuss the Budget. On the same day, two members inquired whether we would be able to obtain the Budget Booklet before, so that we may address any concerns during that meeting before Public Debate. We were advised the following day by the Forum’s Office that we would receive the Budget Booklets and all other documents during that meeting.
On Monday, 28th March, 2011, the PS Finance, Mr Delton Jones accompanied by the Chief Financial Officer arrived at the meeting and we were advised by the PS Finance that he had sent an email that said he was not going to be bringing the Budget Booklets but was going to be presenting a Summary of the Budget. Members including the Chair at this point expressed their dissatisfaction but proceeded. And to date we have not received that email. The PS Finance, Mr Delton Jones after a brief Introduction handed the members three sheets of papers (A full sheet with a table and two others with quarter page use) and proceed to present the Budget. Discussions ensued on revenue measures but members were scheduled to leave before the PS Finance, Mr Jones reached the Expenditure sections and three members were beneficiaries of explanations on Expenditure. Briefly into this Meeting, the CFO, Mrs Caroline Gardiner and the CEO Mr Mark Capes left and Mr Jones, PS Finance alone entertained discussions from his Summary Budget.
It is important for the public to know that last year, the entire Budget Team was present in a Pre Budget Debate Meeting and we were allowed to raise concerns and ask questions directly from Booklets that were sent to us in advance of that Meeting.
Over the next few days members expressed their concerns to the Forum’s Office and made frequent checks as to when the Books would become available. On the morning of Friday, 1st April, 2011, a member text messaged the Chair who was out of the country at the time. The member explained it was unfair for members to be asked to debate the Budget and at 10:33am was not in possession of the Booklets. The Chair’s response three minutes later stated that the meeting would be rescheduled.
The Government later that day sent out a Release and made reference to the Budget Address on Tuesday, April 5th, 2011. A member then inquired whether the meeting was still on schedule and was told it was so by the PS Finance.
The Chair sent an email Saturday saying that the meeting would proceed and that the PS Finance and his staff will be available to assist over the weekend and Monday. It was over the next few hours on Saturday that a deferral request of one week (April 12th, 2011) would be dismissed by the Chair on the basis that the PS Finance had made a Presentation on the Budget Summary and on his assurance that this is sufficient to proceed as this were the broad measures in the Budget.
We were of the opinion that the majority had agreed to proceed and were aware of colleagues who were ready and prepared to debate the Budget. Unfortunately for a few of us, we were not of the same mind. In fact an excerpt of an email from one of us read as follows – I agree that coming to the conclusion of the Budget process is an urgent matter, and it is not in the best interest of the country to prolong the process unnecessarily. The request to delay the Budget Presentation by a week does not seem to be unreasonable given the fact that we have an obligation to make educated, well informed decisions on what we are required to participate in and agree to on behalf of the majority. It is true that we have been presented with snap shots of what the Budget is likely to focus on but based on my years of participation in the Budget process with others who are a part of the Forum, the experiences were that many of the conflicts and inconsistencies were in the details rather than broad headings as presented by the PS/Finance. The practice to scrutinize the details then and more so now, is an important step. We might not be regarded as key decision making officials in the process of governance nonetheless we must endeavor at all times to do justice to the tasks that we are required to sanction. The time allotted to scrutinize the materials received by some just before noon on Friday the 1st. April and by others later, is not reasonable. If, however, the majority is comfortable to approve or disapprove the submissions by Tuesday, then the majority rules. Finance is not my forte and I am inclined to know the details for an exercise of this; moreover, what we do will impact the entire nation – legal and illegal. Should we proceed with a Tuesday meeting, I respectfully request that my absence be excused.
It was of that mind, that six members over the next two days will offer their apologies for not attending and as it would have required a majority to deny a postpone of the Meeting to April 12, 2011, we believe that the majority agreed to proceed. We are not convinced that there would not have been a quorum even though an additional member declined to attend as well having received his documents only 1 O’clock on Monday, yesterday, April 4th, 2011. Surprised at the decision to proceed with the Meeting, we reconciled to the fact that there were sufficient other members who would carry the passage and who were prepared to proceed and debate the Budget.
We therefore refute the following that was included in Mrs Missick Statement:
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We do not believe that about four hours of a discussion on a Summary Sheet with the PS Finance can be considered extensive. We can only assume that the other meeting mentioned by Mrs Missick was the one held on March 8th, 2011 where the Forum met the CFO Mrs Gardiner for the first time and who presented a high level Summary of the Findings of the EU Revenue Consultants and who further advised on the tax initiatives to be implemented effective April 1st, 2011 which we accepted as a foregone conclusion having already received extensive coverage in the media concerning its implementation. The Presentation was a Power Point Presentation and we did not receive a copy of this Presentation nor any documents.
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That the Budget Session was already postponed for our benefit. We knew nothing of this until yesterday’s Release by Mrs Missick and His Excellency The Governor. And we say if in fact the Budget was postponed, it was because the Booklets were not ready and media houses have covered Advisory Council Press Briefings which until a few days ago, there was an admission of work still being carried out on the Budget.
We also refute the allegation that members evaded service so as to sabotage the Budget Meeting, a statement made by a Senior member of the Budget Team. We are committed to the process of moving these Islands forward and towards the accomplishment of the milestones set out.
We are disappointed that our decision, individually made, has now been cited as the reason to not debate the Budget publicly when other members were fully prepared to proceed. We are seriously concerned that the milestones to be accomplished are so tightly timetabled that an offset of a week can affect the election date and negatively impact its achievement.
Whilst we are not privy to the intimate running of the Government, we believe if the revenue measures were to be affected by one week, it should have been communicated to us (and not the media simultaneously with us) and we are also of the view that more aggressive steps should have been taken to settle the figures in time so as to meet the Forum’s Rules of Notice and reasonable service of documents. There was no dialogue with us in this regard and our first response after our emails was sent to what appeared in the Media.
Though unelected, we take our role seriously and felt it a disservice to the people of these Islands if we were to proceed unprepared. Our individual stance was based on our collective feeling to abandon actions of the past and to change the way the people’s business is being done. We have committed ourselves to openness and transparency and responsible and informed representation on the issues.
We have agreed this Press Release so that we can settle this issue collectively. We see this not as an “us” versus “them” and neither are we a renegade clique. We do believe that Rules are in place for a reason and that transparency, preparedness and openness must be the watch words and order of the day. We look forward to proceeding in the manner set out in the Forum’s Rules and in an open and transparent manner. We continue to be committed to serving in this Forum and keeping the people informed as soon as we are.
It is again regrettable that the PS Finance declined to make the Address for such an important life changing Budget and also that the Forum’s Chair once again has cancelled an important meeting without the input of all members. This has been an eye opening experience and causes us grave concern but we are prepared to carry on the work of the Forum as long as we can and are able.
Dr Linda Williams
Sharlene Cartwright Robinson
Karen Delancy
Ethlyn Gibbs – Williams
Drexwell Seymour
Pastor Courtney Missick
The order in which we decline to attend April 5, 2011 meeting as a result of it not being postponed to April 12th 2011
