Tourism minister and minister of legal affairs, Ian Douglas, has said the supplementary estimates of expenditure presented for the financial year ending June 30, 2014, is clear evidence that the government is working.
Parliament met on Thursday and prime minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, sought approval for the estimates in the amount of $45,056,927.22.
“What we have here before us is absolute evidence of a government that is working in the interest of its people,” Douglas said in his address to parliament. “That is clear and let us establish that every single supplementary appropriation listed here gives clear evidence of a country in development.”
Douglas explained that supplementary estimates are estimates that have not been budgeted for, and the extra budgetary spending, “is evidence of the tremendous infrastructural development works happening around Dominica at this point.”
However, United Workers Party (UWP) senator, Ron Green, disagreed saying the government is requesting supplementary estimates because of its failure to manage the country.
He noted that, based on his own observation, 16 items in the estimates are what he considered “unexpected or unforeseen.”
“I see this supplementary as very clear evidence of poor government planning, misplaced priorities and plain mismanagement,” he said. “I am quite aware after many years of the role of a supplementary and the supplementary as a flexibility tool in planning. We must have flexibility but I did a deliberate count and there are 32 items on the supplementary and in my estimation when you can do the count yourself, 16 of them could be considered unexpected or unforeseen.”
Parliament was adjourned to Monday September 22, 2014 from 10:00 am.
Sometimes I get the impression, Ian is fighting for his political survival both with UWP Team Dominica and Skeritt. First, Skeritt has not forgotten all the bad things Ian had to say about him. It is alleged every time the opposition or Q95 plays the recording of the famous things that happens when one turns his back on Skeritt in order to get a drink of water and Skeritt hears it, it is like a dagger penetrating his heart. Presently, the young candidate of the UWP is getting stronger and stronger.
These guys are a waste of time… Two months after you presented a budget, you coming to pariliament and asking for more money for unexpected/ unforeseen expenses? I mean come on, in any other country, some heads would role!
Sing Ian sing.
Oh what an idiot
From my layman’s point of view, SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES are supposed to be amounts used to tweek the expenditure of a government in the execution of its fiscal policy. In other words, the government should be seeking to keep the amounts used under that heading to a minimum!! It appears here that the government, every time it comes to parliament for this purpose, has a very hefty amount to be added to the budgetary expenditures which were previously approved. Because of their majority in parliament, it is passed every time with very little difficulty. It is however, an indication of their incompetence at budgetary prudence. A true sign of failings within their budgetary planning and implementation processes.
What a BIG JOKE!! Is this guy a college graduate? The financial year 2014-2015 just began in June 2014 and the government is requesting an extra $45 million dollars. After all if projects and other investments were properly planned I cannot understand for God sake that we already have to return to parliament for a further request. The budget is only 3 months old. I do understand as an Engineer there may be the unforeseen which I can understand but not so early. This displays two scenarios : 1. The budget was not properly planned. 2. The Government has already “burst” the budget allocating monies into projects which was not budgeted for. Now I understand why there are so many ground breakings. Mr. Douglas there is that saying” It is better to be thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubts.” A budget which is in its first quarter and already burst is an indication that this Government do not have a clue of running an economy. Shame on Ian and this Government!
I wonder if the supplementary could be morphed into campaign handouts…?
A claim of a government that is working yet in an economy which is supposedly driven by tourism has not seen a cruise ship in months! then Mr Douglas as the tourism minister what do you have plan to resolve this situation?
Iguess you all just got up.
I am no economist Ian but even I can see that such supplementary expenditure is a sign of a government out of control. You are spending about $1 million/week more than you said you were going to in your budget. If I ran a business like that I would be declared bankrupt long before now.
But then again, you said not so long ago that the VAT is the backbone of our economy.
May I suggest you stick to legal matters Sir!
So why do we have a surplus every year?
Chupes! What surplus? Ask yourself why they have to ask for approval for overspending if there is a surplus.
What surplus? Please explain yourself.
A surplus of what? Why do you people try to justify wrongs when you know quite well that they are wrong?
Not every year .. was just underestimations from VAT
@jus askin: If we do have a surplus why can this Government pay public servants a 0.5% increase?
I must also remind you that they gave themselves almost 50% increase in salary a few years ago. WOW!!!
The whole bunch in the cabinet stay like a pack of jacks best them man come out from there and make way for Team Dominica to take care of our beloved country.
the doh want to come out, par kar tan!! they want to stay there for fifty years. That’s all you business Dominicans. What all you sow is what all you reap!!!!!
ian ,you making we in portsmouth hate you more,by talking all this crap ,every day you putting more shame in our eyes,your father and uncle must be turning in their graves,you are more educated than skeritt but he have you like a kunumunu
You are just a gazer. Take a look in the mirror.
Ian are u serious bro, u can bring that nonsense to the ignorant or those that have no idea what a countries budget and spending is suppose to look like, take a back seat bro, this administration is not what your father and uncle had in mind, bye bye ian tell skreet his thank you post card in the mail, and by the way the thank you is thanks for nothing
Ian is the Jack in a pack of cards (if you get my drift). Let me make it clearer, the game of cards ended, and Ian was left with a Jack and an Ace in his hands. Not only has he failed the people of Portsmouth (including my dead grandmother from Glanvillia), he is demonstrating now that he does not understand budgeting and forecasting. Ian, supplementary estimates mean that the budgeting and forecasting by the Ministry of Finance were inaccurate or, if they were accurate in the first place, they were not managed by your Government. How could you make such a glaring blunder, Ian?
Boss for a big man lord have mercy you are as dumb as they come. How can you say that the supplementary estimate is signs of a government working. Clearly this government does not know what it is about when you just presented a budget and have supplementary estimates of this sum. Do you all know what you all are doing is there a plan or allyou fellas just letting go money as things come up.
i give up on allyou fellas
stupes
Please Ian. What is the matter with you, that same Prime Minister that you claim stab you in the back and ridicule you by making you sing in public you now singing his praises?Best you stay quiet lest you make yourself look even more ridiculous.