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by pltm
(PLTM) - The government is continuing to allocate millions of dollars into various projects such as the cruise pier and hospital, but yet residents are still begging for basic necessities, including proper roads and stable water supply, according to Hon. Julian Fraser.
The Third District Representative while speaking during the 2017 budget debate which kick started today, Thursday, February 23, said that the issue lies with prioritizing. The 2017 budget is $323M.
"$90M more and I am standing here in great need of things that I used to have. $90M to build a new hospital; $90M to build Tortola Pier Park. That’s a lot of money, but all you hear is people (government members) wanting the money. (They) get the money and where you need to put the money to show, they cannot see it. It's not there," he said.
Hon. Fraser added, "That demonstration is one that I made to show that even with more, significant more, we have less to show and somebody needs to give us the answers, and also tell us how we are going to reverse that trend. It's not helping."
The Opposition Member argued that it's unfair to the people who are paying taxes, but are not being afforded proper services from government.
"We have people in my district who have to drive dirt roads in 2017. For years I have a problem with that. People in my district who don’t get proper water ten years now; I have a people with that."
He added, "And it's all because of, in my view, allocation of funding, priority; what is our priorities? These are people who are being taxed, 7 1/2% tax added on last year, plus NHI...And they are paying taxes; give them the service."
Hon. Fraser also mentioned that ten years later, the district budgetary allocation has relatively remained the same. According to him, ten years ago he was allocated $300,000 for his district and now Government Members District Representatives are receiving $200,000 annually.
"Nothing to show when you go out there. I think we all need to start screaming. I am going to scream today because my district has needs."
Outside Forces Shouldn't Dictate
Meanwhile, Hon. Fraser implied that the BVI should avoid having the United Kingdom (UK) dictate how they allocate their funds.
"I don’t believe that we should be dictated to by outside forces as to how our resources should be used, how we allocate our funding…I was just thinking about it just last night. Who tells Antigua how to allocate their funding in their budget? Who tells Barbados? But somebody claims that they have to guarantee our borrowing," he said.
Hon. Fraser added that the BVI has been put to the test in the past.
"I don’t know why somebody thinks we are going to default now and the price that we are going to pay is that they are going to give us a borrowing guideline, some formula."
He said, "And then they are going to dictate how much money we put in our budget...And dictate how much money go into the so called Reserve (Fund). How long have we been doing that now? Since 2012? That’s five years; is it time to say enough is enough?"
Recently, Governor John Duncan publicly criticized government over the issue of prioritizing when it comes to spending.
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