In terms of Bills from the House, the senators also debated the Supplementary Appropriation Bills. It's a touchy subject, since the PUP were against the UDP's habit of bringing supplementary bills to the House after the money was already spent. And now the tables have turned, as Senator Michael Peyrefitte pointed out.
Michael Peyrefitte, Senator
"When I look at this bill, I am extremely shocked to see that the government is doing exactly what they crucified us for when we were in government and what several members who were nongovernmental used to cry about when we get these appropriation bills. Now, two things, two questions I have. It was like how I contacted Public Service Commission who has received no such letter and I contacted the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Finance has told me that some of the estimates that are in this no. 5 supplemental bill have already been used and spent by virtue of special warrants which is in the previous government we accepted as a legal form of expenditure. But this concept was railed against by the PUP when they were in opposition, that you cannot spend and then come to the National Assembly to ask the National Assembly to certify that spending. So if it is true that some of the money they are asking us to vote now has already been spent. We want them in the spirit of if you look at their motion, recitals number nine to insist in good and transparent governance. In the spirit of transparency, give to us and the nation how much you have spent so far since November eleventh and on what."
Senator Peyrefitte elaborated on funds designated for several ministries including Hone Affairs and New Growth, Sustainable Development, Health and The Blue Economy. His main issue was that there was no information on what exactly the money will be spent on. PUP Senator Christopher Coye then rose to explain the purpose for the funds.
Chris Coye, Senator
"Item 1: the ministry of home affairs and new growth industries $396,000. I think it was Senator Peyrefitte who speculated that it might have to do with the additional police recruits. I do confirm that that is what it is for. What was in the approved budget for fiscal year 2020/21 is for 170 new police in take. This increases it by 50 to 220. So that additional 50 police recruits is what this cost represents $396,000. The ministry of blue economy and civil aviation of $142,000. We all know that there was no ministry of blue economy under the past administration, so in creating this new ministry unfortunately there is no space, there are cost associated with renting, hiring personnel to get this new ministry going and this sum in the recurrent expenditure represents that costs. We next move into capital 2 expenditures. On the ministry of finance, economic development and investment there is a supplementary appropriation proposed of 10 million. Now we speak about spent and unspent. Before I get into particulars, I can say that on this item there is no money yet spent. So this is for intended expenditures on economic recovery support."
"The ministry of health and wellness: 15 million. What is spent, what is not spent; what is spent to date is roughly 2 million of that 15 million. The majority of which is for testing equipment and building human resource capacity for in the hospitals and clinics. The particulars of that 15 million is broken down as follows: surveillance and testing - 6.6 million. Human resources for hospital response capacity - 4.3 million. Risk communication and community engagement - 337,000. Medical supplies and pharmaceuticals - 2 million, equipment - 1.7 million. All toll that's comes up to that 15 million."
"Ministry of sustainable development, climate change and disaster risk management: proposed appropriation is 4.8 million of which a little over half of that has been spent. What it has been spent on or for is has been directed through NEMO on their request to cabinet for humanitarian assistance arising from the floods that came about as we all have experience from Iota."
Senator Coye noted that in the future, they will try to provide more particulars for the benefit of the other senators.
