What on earth is going on in the House of Assembly; Budget Debate shockingly UNEVENTFUL

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, April 19th, 2024 – Tradition has been flipped on its head for the 2024/25 Budget Debate following a refusal by Government Ministers and the Opposition Leader to debate the spending sheet, and the public is left holding the short end of the stick.

Following a tradition of transparency mirrored across the globe in different governments,  parliamentary front benchers usually speak directly to what funds allocated to their ministries will be used for, outline the benefits to the general public and even update on progresses over the preceding fiscal period but not so in the Turks and Caicos Islands this time around.

The National Budget and its breakdown in spending is the heart and head of the sitting administration and without it, nothing can be achieved and yet, there was on Wednesday April 17, one day after the official communication by the finance minister, total radio silence.

“[They] sat there in silence all day and refused to give an account of their ministries or constituencies to the electorate in the final budget debate after collecting hefty salaries for the last 3+ years,” said one angry resident responding to the unusual display.

The decision not to speak means the public has no idea how ministers plan to use the $485 million of the people’s money that they’ve been allotted this year.

Many are livid.

“Them PNP ministers didn’t report on their budgets because they ain’t do ***** for their constituents, so they don’t have ***** to report. Report card score is zero O,” ranted one individual.

Others were just as disappointed in Edwin Astwood, the Opposition Leader.

“It is shameful that the Leader of the Opposition didn’t come prepared to deliver his rebuttal to the Premier’s speech; and to make matters worse, he had the audacity to go on live interview during lunch and say he wasn’t prepared,” said one resident.

Astwood defended his decision to the public.

“Instead of myself getting up and speaking right after the Premier and then you would have eight or nine persons speak after me, spinning a different story, I said, as the Leader of the Opposition I need to be able to address the Premier and all his ministers.”

That didn’t happen and the debate was shockingly wrapped up with only contributions from the Premier, in his capacity as finance minister, and the two Governor’s Appointed Members.

The entire fiasco was apparently brought down by the change in protocol, where Astwood, who usually speaks before the Ministers, asked to speak after them instead so that he could respond to them all in full. It’s a decision that was accepted by the Speaker and which Astwood says he informed the Ministers of as well.

“They were afraid of me speaking after them and they were saying ‘We’re gonna make sure you speak before us.’ I told them ‘If you don’t get up, I am not getting up.’ This is your Budget. You need to tell the people how you are spending their money in your current ministry,” he said.

Astwood accused them of ‘playing chicken’ while some Residents couldn’t comprehend the actions of either side.  A choice to break with tradition and play tit for tat over respectfully seizing the opportunity to inform the Electorate what was to be done with public funds over the next 12 months.

“You mean to tell me that Seven (7) Ministers, Six (6) Elected Backbenchers, and 1 PNP Appointed Member were terrified to speak before the Leader of the Opposition because he would have torn their speeches apart???” asked a resident.

As the story evolves some residents applaud Astwood for standing his ground.

“The Leader of the Opposition did absolutely the right thing.  His insistence that the Ministers should defend the budget was correct and he was right to “Break with Tradition,” to let them all speak and then Reply.  It is a good move for democracy and accountability,” a TC resident explained

In response to the confusion and outrage, the government released the following statement late Tuesday.

“If there is no one willing to speak, a decision is made by the Speaker to advise members of his intention to close the debate. The mover is then asked to wrap up the debate on the motion. Today, this is what occurred in the House of Assembly.”

On Wednesday when we sought clarification on the matter Jamell Robinson, Deputy Premier and Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development told us, “We will be in Committee as of 10 am today. Debate on the second reading of the bill is completed.”

When we asked why Robinson decided to forgo his speech he told us this, “What took place yesterday was very unfortunate as the Leader of the Opposition chose our 4th budget presentation to try and break a long-standing convention. As for residents, I have already begun distributing relevant information in relation to what is in store for Budget 2024/25 from an Infrastructure standpoint.”

No other official statements have come from the ministers regarding the decision though Magnetic Media has reached out to all of them.