– Premier Romeo announces will include capital projects
Premier the Hon. Donaldson Romeo
Premier the Hon. Donaldson Romeo, we say, was not very forthcoming with information and was tight-lipped when he was asked about the progress of the UK Government’s approval of the 2017/18 budget that runs from 1st April, 2017 to 31st March, 2018.
The Minister of Finance/Premier could have gone the route of St. Helena who on March 30, 2017 used “a rollover budget which is the mechanism used to allow the business of Government to continue in the absence of agreeing a balanced budget. “
St. Helena had given or was given the same reason for the delay of the non-budgetary agreement, but at some time the Premier will explain his choice not to go the rollover budget route as Montserrat has experienced in not too recent years. Observers believe that given the difficulty posed of scarce jobs on the island the Premier chose to wait until had something to say about the capital aid and what those things are that he sought to be part of the recurrent budget.
Premier Romeo had received the settlement sometime before, but on May 22 the Premier made an announcement which seemed to justify the speculation that he wanted to have something more positive and hopeful to say. “I’m happy to announce that the budget speech will be on June 9th coming. It should be reassuring to the public that we have capital projects in hand to the tune of about thirty million dollars. And what is important is that government will make sure that these monies are spent within this fiscal year,” he told ZJB Radio, adding, he believes this would have a positive impact on the economy.
Seemingly at the same time Romeo when announcing the $30 million dollars said it has been earmarked for capital projects. “Thankfully, as you know we were able to get a set of projects in place this time amounting to the tune of about $30 million EC dollars and that is the good news”
Addressing directly the open critics, he said. “Many were wondering between now and March we expect a lot if not all of these monies to be spent. It’s very important for the ordinary man out there to see that this is done it means money in their pockets when monies are spent,” noting, “government is the largest spender.”
The Premier is hopeful that this will begin the growth of the economy, “one day to the point where we were once, where the private sector led but now the government leads.”
The Premier went back to where he was last February 2016 speaking of the non-spend of budgeted funds. “That’s why it hurts when government does not spend money. I want to deliver a positive result to the ordinary man, the struggling single mother so they can feel tangible results in their pockets,” he said, sounding apologetic.
Meanwhile St. St Helena Government after confirming the financial aid settlement for St. Helena of £28.7million for the 2017/18 financial year, in a special meeting of Executive Council on Thursday 27 April 2017, met on May 12 2017 and approved the Appropriation Bill 2017.
According to reliable sources, Montserrat had received their approval one day before the announcement of the UK General Election.
