Prime Minister Perry Christie has been asked to explain why spending in his own office has increased by over $3 million in three years.
Opposition leader Alvin Smith has queried what he described as the “sudden $1.2 million budgetary increase” for the Prime Minister’s Office this year.
Mr. Smith told The Tribune, “There is a discrepancy between the $2.2 million average at the Prime Minister’s Office during Mr. Ingraham’s term and Mr. Christie’s current average of $4 million”.
He questioned the hiring of numerous consultants, a project co-ordinator, project administrators and other personnel, many of whom make over $50,000 per year.
There are two posts, the national planning co-ordinator and a financial advisor, set to make $95,000 and $80,000 respectively.
He said, “No government should have the authority to saturate any ministry.”
In this bidgetary year $400,000 was created in new posts, including a head messenger, a senior executive officer, two chief clerks, a cook, a housemaid, and gardener.
In addition to overspending the government has been accused in this budget of “continuing the pattern of PLP over estimation”.
Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, in his contribution to the budget debate, said the PLP had yet to produce estimates of revenue that are realised within any reasonable limits with the poossible exception of this year when the extraordinary, one time events may push their receipts to projection and perhaps beyond.
Source: The Tribune
