‘Minister’s answer was malicious!’ – Hon Andrew A. Fahie
Hon. Fahie was addressing the statements made by the Honorable Minister for Health and Social Development Ronnie W. Skelton who was responding to a question put to him by Representative for the Third District Honourable Julian Fraser, RA on August 14, 2014 during the Eighth Sitting of the Third Session of the Second House of Assembly.
The question had been asked on behalf of Hon Fahie following due process, who was unavoidably absent from that sitting of the House.
“I don’t know how the Minister can give that kind of answer seeing that he was not elected in 2010 and I would challenge him to bring any [documentation] showing the Ministry of Finance, which was requested by the Ministry of Education for funds. Those discussions were had during the budget process of that day which the Minister was not a part of,” Hon Fahie insisted.
Hon Skelton had announced at that time that the government’s sponsorship for the transportation of seniors from the First District will be discontinued come September 1, 2014. Hon Fahie contended that the service has done well for the seniors of the First District saying that $950 is ‘peanuts’ to give for the service of seniors when compared to other services that are given to many other people in the community by the National Democratic Party (NDP) administration which no one is questioning according to Hon Fahie.
“Everyone who lives on this Island would know what I am saying without saying it,” he said when asked to name the people who benefit from the Government sponsored transport. “I am not saying that it’s not deserved but when you want to target one set just to get at one person but ignore others, that is not good governance.”
Fahie was very appalled that any technocrat would have been able to give Hon. Skelton such information without giving him the full gamut of what surrounded the discussion. “The discussion surrounded need for the seniors from Districts One to Nine to reach to the different clinics along with other services that we wanted to make sure was more accessible to seniors. It was a full discussion,” said Hon Fahie.
He explained that the issue they were having at that time was the concern of them getting to the clinic and those districts that had that concern more than others, the challenge of the Minister of Finance of the day to find the monies to allow that to happen since the Ministry of Health through Social Development had said that they did not have the funds to make it happen.
“Each District Representative had that challenge. That was a major concern at that time, to find how to get the funds to make it happen, so I cannot be faulted for doing my home work for the people of the First District,” said Hon Fraser.
He added, “I find it appalling for him (Hon Skelton) to give the impression that Education money was reduced just to benefit the people of the First District as a political gesture.”
According t Hon. Fahie his concerns are not just for the seniors of his district but for those from Districts One to Nine.
“Our seniors of the First District or wherever in the BVI have to be commended for the hard work and dedication they have done over the years for this Territory because we are standing on their shoulders, of the greatness they have achieved over the years for the BVI. So whatever resources or whatever we can do to help our seniors must be done and all efforts must be exhausted to do that,” said Hon Fahie.
The First District Representative said that the philosophy of what is done for one district would be done in all, whether for health or otherwise, he hopes that it holds through, “Because right now I do not see it holding through whether it be for seniors or whatever in the First District.”
He outlined a long list of things for which they have been asking about that continues to fall on deaf ears of the current NDP government. “Now here you come the transportation was taken away. No assessment was done about it… no discussion not even with the District Representative was had to say look this is a concern, how can we address it? Stopping the programme to go do a full assessment of all nine districts, I find it to be irresponsible,” said Hon Fahie.
Going forward he said that talks are already in train with community business and private individuals about getting the services continued. “… with some adjustments because we would have to finance it ourselves to get it done which I don’t mind.”
He said that he found it to be cynical of the Minister suggesting that he can do it out of his district vote seeing that he (Hon. Skelton) was among those that cut the district vote by $25k which has left them handicapped.
He also blasted the NDP government for not reviewing and cutting fees of consultants they hire without following due process and are being paid millions of dollars. “They don’t cut them and re-assess what they are doing and I want to state clearly, no government can run without consultants; that is not what is in question because this government likes to twist everything.”
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33 Responses to “‘Minister’s answer was malicious!’ – Hon Andrew A. Fahie”
We must be fair everyone who has a job and does it efficiently and effectively is contributing to the building up of the BVI and so services should benefit all not just one! Your honourables, I rest my case
We cannot deny the fact that our country is pretty much bankrupt...it is not only the poor that are facing the increases in transportation costs, it is everyone, fuel raises so in fact we all are paying the price.
It is not fair to say only Ms P uses the transportation, for what i see Mr. O'N..l is using the same vehicle more than her these days, every where he goes he has the use of the same govt. Car and driver even to church.
950,000.00 call it a million dollars for transportation for one district man that is high way robbery or island only 11 miles long and 8 miles wide tell us the truth Fahie where the money gone.