Bahamas, May 15, 2017 – Nassau – The FNM’s Deputy Leader has pledged that the new government will not leave Bahamians “high and dry” over commitments made to them by its predecessor, as he warned it may need to be “cut some slack” over the upcoming Budget.
Kevin Peter Turnquest told said it was “going to be very difficult” to ensure the 2017-2018 Budget reflects the new government’s agenda and priorities, given that it is due to be presented in the House of Assembly in less than two weeks.
He emphasised that the incoming government now faced the challenge of meeting the Christie administration’s spending commitments without adding to a fiscal deficit that has remained stubbornly above $300 million throughout the past five years.
Mr. Turnquest warned that it would “be very difficult” to achieve this, given the Christie administration’s numerous commitments, which included promotions and salary increases for Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officers; the payment of police officers; the ‘regularisation’ of hundreds of temporary civil servants as full-time; and the fates of numerous persons hired on three-month contracts in the public sector prior to the election.
“The ones of most concern to me are the human resources ones, as they relate to individual Bahamians,” Mr Turnquest told Tribune Business. “It would be unfair for them to be left high and dry. We’re going to see how we can make this work and be fair to all concerned.”
The Budget is due to be presented on May 24, ensuring it will be one of the newly-elected government’s first key acts.
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