The Leader of the Opposition, the Honorable Sharlene Cartwright Robinsonhas issued a statement that there has been some confusion on the position taken by the Opposition in a recent sitting of the House.She says there several items on the Order Paper carried over from the previous sitting held on December 21st, 2012. Two of these items needed clarification – the Supplementary Bill seeking approval to fund priority projects as well as a Government Motion relating to the Budget for 2013/14. The Opposition Leader explained in her statement that once approved, the Supplementary Bill allowed the Government to fund important projects like housing for the Reverse Osmosis Plant in Grand Turk, works on the HJ Robinson High School’s Administrative Block, the start of work on the new Block for the Ona Glinton Primary School, payment for the Law Revision exercise, the acquisition of Police Cars and the payment of monies to land owners on whose property the former Government squatted. These she said were all important matters and in the spirit of unity, the Opposition consented to the calling of the Meeting on December 21st – though this did not meet the Standing Order’s/Rules of Parliament’s Notice requirement. They were national concerns and the opposition believed it served this country no good to play politics on these issues. The Opposition therefore supported the Bill fully though it did so only on the word of the Minister of Finance that he was satisfied that he had sufficient savings in the Budget to meet the costs.
The other matter raised, said the Opposition Leader, was the Minister of Finance’s filing of a Motion to allow the Government to spend a portion of the Budget 2013/2014 – should the Budget not be ready for passage for April 1, 2013. The Opposition held that there was still time to meet the Budget and by the Minister’s Motion he had indicated that the budget “may not” be ready, which meant there were still attempts to meet the deadline. The Opposition asked the Minister what was still needed to meet the deadline – or what could possibly hinder the passing of a Budget within the set time. It received no reply to this inquiry. Mrs Cartwright Robinson said the Opposition also sought clarification about a newspaper report regarding the Government’s apparent request for a delay to avoid the imposition of VAT. The Opposition should have been informed about the Government’s position. The reading of a single statement that the Budget may not be ready – and then call on members to support the approval of spending without explanation – was not just or right. The Opposition had also asked for a proposed date for the passage of the Budget which would show the Government’s priorities. Despite the Premier’s assurance that the Minister of Finance could address the time line, the Minister had yet to give the country any indication of the time line. It was for these reasons that the Opposition could not support the Motion at this time.
