6 Billion Over

 

                Well, by now I am certain that all of you have heard about the over spending of 6 billion dollars in the national budget for fiscal year 2009- 2010. Frankly, I am not surprised.  The Jamaica Labour party came to power with a barrage of promises which they knew that they could keep but with a heavy toll on the country’s finances. All economic analysts were predicting this global financial meltdown, which we are now in, and many pondered where we were to get this money to fund “free education and free healthcare.” However, the country has now learnt that these came at a heavy price to the coffers of the national treasury. In addition to sucking us dry, as one would say, the government compounded matters by continuing to maintain the current state of affairs and telling us “everything fine.” Even the previous administration wondered where this money to fund these two new ideas was to come from.  The government cited petrocaribe savings; however, we have now learnt that that is not even enough to cover educational costs!  Hence, now the country is now forced to go back to the International monetary fund (IMF) with “pan in hand” as one opposition member put it, to secure funds just to keep us afloat. Notice I said afloat, and not sailing, as it would take much more than what the IMF has to offer to take us out of this hole that the government has dug us into.  Now, in addition to being broke, the government tables a new budget which shows a higher expenditure of six billion dollars. The people of this nation, especially myself, would love to know how in these cash tight times, that we can table a budget, which, bear in mind is to be less since we must meet IMF regulations,  that is more than the previous one. What astounds me even more, is the fact that at today’s sitting of the standing finance committee, the government could not even answer some o the questions put forward by members of the committee as to why some areas had increased so drastically.  It is a disgrace to see the government struggle to explain increased expenditure and even worse for them to even table increased expenditure.  What I further fail to understand is how the “man a yard” Audley Shaw is telling us that the jobs of the civil service will be cute, yet there will be an increase in expenditure in the civil service. Now, let me get down to some real patois, You tell me, how dis ya maths work? Job a cut yet still money a go up, dat a nuh sumting me did learn inna skool, nuh minus a certain amount equal a less amount? Ja knoo Audley and u call uself finance minister! Well, with that said, I return to my normal English, as I know that just drove the point home to my readers. Frankly guys, to me, the government has failed and miserably at that.  It is only a few ministers I regard as doing their jobs and that is not in the majority. The government needs to stop wasting time, giving tax breaks to the wealthy such as the “motor vehicle stimulus plan” (which is the MOST RIDICULOUS THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!) and trim down this budget or find ways to fund it. They need to repeal the free education and healthcare which I am sure the Jamaican people will understand seeing the rough times ahead.  They need to stop playing around and fix this budget hence giving the nation some real answers! We tyaad a foolishnesss! Therefore I say, Mr. Golding, shape up or ship out! Simple as that!

 

by Christopher Henry