Opposition Leader Criticizes Delayed Budget Reading Following Government Salary Adjustments

Tonight, the Leader of the Opposition, Tracy Panton, has also weighed in on the delayed budget reading and debate.  Both events are usually held in March each year, but this year they are being slated for mid-May.  The matter of the budget for this fiscal year returns to the forefront after the salary adjustments for CEOs.  According to Panton, the government is acting haphazardly, considering that the budget for this year is yet to be presented.

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition: “I think it’s absolutely unacceptable that a budget presentation has not been made. I think it’s a frivolous excuse to say, “well, we had a recent election and we have realigned our ministries and so we have to go back to the budget exercise.” We should have an idea of whether the ministries were realigned or not what it cost to govern this country, what are the programs and initiatives that will be given priority by this administration, how much money we can expect to collect from our revenue generating activities and that sort of thing. So it is unacceptable, unacceptable that a month later we’re still operating with unauthorized spending as far as I’m concerned. Whatever the government is spending now is unauthorized.”

Last year’s budget debate was held from March 20 through to the 22^nd.