Time for equal $$ allocations to At-Large & District Reps- Hon deCastro
Hon de Castro made the calls during a presentation at today’s December 15, 2021, Budget Debates via a virtual sitting of the House.
“A point of concern for me especially as an At-large Representative is the current Budget structure as it relates to allocation. As it is presently, the District Representatives are assigned an Allocation through Civil Mitigation in the amount of $200,000.00 via the Ministry of Transportation, Works and Utilities and an additional $125,000.00 through the House of Assembly,” Hon Decastro raised.
Unfair budget structure - Hon de Castro highlights
She said ultimately, District Representatives have access to over $325K annually, “now granted, this is in addition to the fact that District Representatives have separate access to funding for various community projects; namely, bush cutting and gut cleaning."
Meanwhile, according to the Jr Minister, At-Large Representatives who have territory-wide obligations only have access to $150 annually through the House of Assembly.
“It is clear that needs urgent consideration as all elected members in their capacity as elected representatives should have access to equal funding allocation so that each can facilitate various projects and initiatives throughout the territory.
She highlighted that when the At-Large system was introduced back in the mid-1990s, the structure of government as it relates to budgeting was not adjusted to adequately support the new framework.
Exsisting system 'archaic' - Hon de Castro
“As such, this is definitely an archaic system that needs to be swiftly modernized. This is why whenever I hear the Opposition Members complaining about not having access to funding, I shake my head in disbelief,” the Minister said.
The Minister further said, “realistically when you examine it as members of this Honorable House, the opposition who are all district representatives, have access to more funding than most of the Government’s backbench.”
Hon de Castro added that while the Fahie Government has made a deliberate effort to no district is underrepresented, “what one district representative gets, all district representatives get.”
As such, Hon de Castro underscored that the $150K allocations given to At-large representatives who have territory-wide representation, puts both the representatives and the people at a disadvantage.
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28 Responses to “Time for equal $$ allocations to At-Large & District Reps- Hon deCastro”
jost dyke and anegada need they own reps
listen to the elected with those long boring speeches live on radio
i did this
i did that
i want this and that
where will this territory be in the next 30 years: play the tape when some the elected stand up to speak in house they always make reference to the past: the opposition leader made reference to how millions was where "back" 2017 my goodness this 2021!!!!
let me share a classic example with you: pockwood pond; a healthy hazard for so many years where is the care for the people residing in path of those hazardous fumes and smoke
keep the faith