Submitted by Alex Fergusson
Barbadians are going about their daily business oblivious to the cold, hard fact that each month, Public Servants in this country come perilously close to not being paid.
Employees who travel on government business are also having headaches being paid for such travel. It is no accident that some persons who do work for government are still not being paid in a timely manner. Why – you may ask? The IMF has advised the DLP to slash its expenditure bill this financial year by as much as $120 million and a further $300 million next financial year.
Barbados is heading back to the bad old days under the DLP, when the relatives of persons who were sick – had to take a towel; soap and toilet paper for them at the QEH. There are a number of questions to be answered but the DLP, which promised “accountability” and “freedom of information,” is not helping.
Is it true that the amount allocated to Ministries and Departments in the Estimates were cut by 10%? Is it true that the revised amount was then cut by a further 2.5% in order to pay income tax returns? And, are there plans for a further 2.5% cut in or around November this year?
If true, a budget cut of some 15% would mean that Ministries and Department are almost certainly only paying salaries and wages. If so, what about the 2000 house the NHC plans to build this year? Does this also explain why absolutely no work is being done by the UDC and RDC, as regards the repair of homes for poor people? And, this is the same DLP that was telling Barbadians, “spend widely,” a few months ago!
Did this same DLP not promised Teachers, Nurses and Policemen – increased pay and duty free cars? What about the promise to build an island off the West Coast? What about the Airport in St. Lucy? What about the Sea Port in the North of the Island? How about the brand-name hotel every two years? How about the plan to build the electrical sub-station at the QEH? What about the plan to buy back the BNB shares worth US$750 million? What about the plan to acquire the derelict Samlords Castle?
The point I am making is that the DLP government cannot afford do any of those things. It simply does not even have the $111 million it takes monthly to pay public servants. It gets worst! We are now hearing that Government should purchase and demolishing run-down hotels on the beachside. Where is the money?
Massive unemployment means less revenue from income tax, as well as, reduced spending power, hence less revenue for VAT, Excise Tax, Environmental Levy and Import Duties. When added to reduced tourist arrivals and discounted prices/packages; excessive taxation and a serious drop in foreign direct investment, as a result of shattered investor confidence – you have a very serious revenue lost problem. The simply point I am trying to make connects with what the BLP said in this year’s Estimates Debate. The DLP’ revenue projections were unrealistic, hence the DLP ordered, budget cuts and its gravitation towards the IMF, six months after it brought unrealistic Estimates.
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