We dare to expect surprises in that 2021 Budget address
Coming up, far much later that it could have at least been expected, rather than ought to be, will be the budget presentation which is predicted to be perhaps the worst, if not merely backward in the last twenty (20) years.
After H E Governor Pearce had been accused in April to have affected (adversely) the presentation of a request to the UKG for COVID-19 pandemic support, he early this year told us, admitting that the then five-month-old ‘new’ MCAP government did not start out too well with the pandemic, they did well soon afterward. He suggested they deserved some credit, which was not forthcoming from here.
The government even after earlier announcing they received some $3 million after the $8 million support (which we believe should have been at least $8.25) seem unwilling to account for the $3 million. In fact, the whole matter surrounding that money and the amazing ‘deficit budget’ is still yet to satisfactorily explained to the public as emphasised by the Opposition
As Montserrat tries to find its place in a world that is beginning to believe it Is not the only living planet, life and all its assortments and departments of thrills and disappointments for the past twenty-plus years, may have its starts and stops, but as of today, it continues to retrogress.
The feeling is that it is difficult trying to be positive as much as negativity surrounds us. For just about any venture or relationship pursued, it has been stressed inexhaustibly that without good or proper communication success will be remote. Today, it is a course that must form part of almost every discipline. But isn’t it strange that the majority of our graduating students do not have a clue about its necessity, its essentialism, or its practice?
This government has at the head of it, Ministers who were part of the government who were given the golden opportunity to carry on from the change about of the hopes for a new Montserrat from 2008. A 2008-2020 Sustainable Development plan they began to manage from early 2009.
After changes to the (development) plan smart or otherwise, they were given the green light, maybe reluctantly, but May 1, 2012, HMG said yes; it is a day that today should be celebrated, but up to now some of the same people, maybe out of shame seem not to remember.
Through their own undoing, they lost the management seats in September, 2014 while two of them remained in Opposition, only one came over in this new MCAP government but the replacement and one former Minister sit with them in the management seats, with two popular newcomers. How that came about will feature in the not too far distant future.
All that background to say that there ought to have been enough experience, that even after shockingly declaring in January 2020, that they were onlookers at the Financial Aid Mission (FAM) and ‘learning’.
“Surely, it was a very full experience for us as a new government. My ministers and I certainly enjoyed the exposure that we have had…but we have learned a lot.” He said they had attended most of the sessions, “and the only reason why we did that is because we want to be familiar with how it works…we had no great expectations because we knew that the talks were about finalising this round of talks for the recurrent budget 2020-2021…”
(See: https://www.themontserratreporter.com/fam-budget-discussions-friendly/)
The Premier and Minister of Finance like Minister Kirnon have 14 years experience in the Legislature. Farrell’s tenure has been continuous from 2006, while Kirnon served five, 1991-1996; 2006-2015.
After the shock, up came another. And having a budget in 2021 in June is difficult to understand, although we can think of some undesirable phrases to express what the most likely reason might be.
How is, the pandemic notwithstanding, with the fact that they managed to prevent many from enjoying a livelihood, even after their poor representation at the FAM, receiving what they expected, saying he is pleased with this outcome, did not have a budget ready to roll out immediately since April. Although he feigned ignorance about the Financial matters of the country, did he really learned nothing from 2009-14-20? Or is it that he is really just as all the whispers are about his leadership?
Recall that there was a time when the Council Chamber (wherever Budget presentations were held in the Legislative Assembly) was full and overcrowded along with ears perked to the radio everywhere. There was always much to look forward to, the hints, possible tax increases, where the new jobs would come from, and more and more.
In short. we the people all deserve (never mind those who feel fattened just by their presence) to understand why the standstill and nothing to energise some semblance of economic if not just mere existence activity. The excuses about ‘opening the borders’ and the suspicious push for a total of 70% vaccination coverage as a requirement are really lame and show up a government with no plan. Surely, they have not expressed any?
