Fahie & Vanterpool clash over “unanswered” questions on CDB loan
Fahie, who asked the questions this morning on July 24, 2012 during the House of Assembly sitting on behalf of Third District Representative Hon. Julian Fraser RA, asked Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark Vanterpool, to tell the House which projects were approved by the CDB and the House for execution under the loan for infrastructural rehabilitation; the cost of each project; and the schedule for the execution of those projects.
In his response, Hon. Vanterpool said he would prefer to submit the list rather than to read it through, but according to Fahie who quoted from the relevant Standing Order, unless there are legal implications the information should not be withheld and it should be answered in totality.
Vanterpool said there are ongoing discussions with CDB and he does not think he should disclose information to the public until that is completed.
However, Fahie retorted that the loan was already approved by the House and asked whether changes were being made to the loan, citing that his question was straight forward.
The Works Minister maintained that the Government has a right to continue negotiations with the CDB, in terms of priorities and how it should be handled and at the appropriate time they will be pleased to report to the House on the subject.
This did not go down well with the First District representative, who further enquired that if the loan was already approved, what it was approved to do must have been clearly articulated in order to receive the loan.
On that note, Vanterpool said there can be a request to change the use of the loan by the party involved and the government can make such a request.
Again, Hon. Fahie stated that the information about the loan is not in contrast to the public’s interest since the projects were already approved by the House and if they were going to be changed it will have to be changed by the House. He said for that to happen, Hon. Vanterpool will have to tell the House the plans of changing the areas the loan was approved for and come back to the House for approval.
Minister Vanterpool said he agreed and respected what Fahie had said, and stated that if it has to be approved in the House it will be done.
“That’s a very very questionable procedure for a matter that this house dealt with,”Fahie responded.
Following questions by Fahie, he was also told that Dr. Drexel Glasgow was the Project Coordinator who was preparing a schedule in conjunction with the CDB team.
Vanterpool said as Minister responsible he and the Project Coordinator identified some of the projects and they will schedule and execute those.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House Ingrid Scatliffe- Moses told Hon. Fahie that he will be provided with the list of projects for the loan that was approved by the House.
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