It would be palpably unfair to accuse the Mia Mottley administration of having become drunk with power after fewer than 12 months in office. But there is at least one glaring indication that its overwhelming victory in the last general election has led Government to believe its undeniable popularity will allow it to get away with whatever it so desires.
Government has been at pains to indicate to Barbadians that the present austerity measures are a sore necessity. It has preached since last year that its policies directed by the International Monetary Fund to stave off economic ruin in the country, will create some difficulties but which are necessary for the revival of the island’s struggling economy. As is usually the case when inflation and mounting debt become unsustainable, the bitter remedial medicine to be administered normally ends on the palates of lower and middle-income workers. Barbados is not unique in this situation.
But it was a crying shame to learn during Monday’s Estimates Debate that while Government is seeking to stem our economic haemorrhaging, to the extent that maids, security guards, postmen, bus drivers, sugar workers, caregivers, and others of similar ilk have been placed on the breadline, it will be allocating $14 million for consultants in 2019 and will bump this up to $21 million by the end of 2020.
During the debate Opposition Leader Reverend Joseph Atherley drew attention to the fact that such consultancy fees had jumped from $206 000 since the Mia Mottley administration [of which he was an initial part] took office in May. He noted: “If you look at the Estimates relative to the Ministry of Finance, these Estimates show a movement from last year, $206, 000 for professional services. . . fees paid to consultants. . . to $4 million when this administration came to office and completed that financial year. In the current Estimates, it is being proposed professional fees. . .fees paid to consultants. . .be moved to $14 million; and these Estimates also suggest that next year, there is a projection to move these professional services’ fees to $21 million.”
Of course, one is dealing with politicians, often the masters of rhetoric, spin, gobbledygook and the abstruse. In responding to his former party colleague’s query, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn noted that the consultancy expenditure would lead to Government saving almost $1 billion in interest and amortization between 2019 and 2023. He added: “In addition to that, our consultants are also renegotiating all of the egregious contracts that have been agreed to under the previous administration at many of the state-owned enterprises, such that the monies that they are paying these individuals are worth the work that they are doing for the benefit of the taxpayers of this country.” Sir Humphrey Appleby of Yes Minister fame would have been proud had he been within earshot.
But since Mr Straughn did not deal with specifics then, perhaps he or one of the many consultants working in the Ministry of Finance can answer a few questions for those former public workers now collecting unemployment benefits and the Barbadian public at large. What is the exact financial arrangement with White Oak Advisory Ltd. out of London? If there is an arrangement, how soon after the May general election was it entered into? Was an arrangement entered into before or after the first convening of Cabinet?
Additionally, if the Ministry of Finance has at its disposal multiple homegrown economic planners dealing with the Government’s debt restructuring programme, why the necessity for an overseas concern? At the end of the day Barbados’ is a very tiny economy. Is this a demonstration of a lack of confidence in our local consultants? Are the foreign consultants practising some form of economics previously unheard of by mankind?
Mr Straughn spoke on Monday of consultants now “renegotiating all of the egregious contracts that have been agreed to under the previous administration”. Could he inform the public whether there is a consultant attached to the National Cultural Foundation? Is there a British consultant in the Ministry of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports? Is there a consultant with the Ministry of Tourism? Attorney General Dale Marshall has already identified his consultant thus no questions need to be asked. Are these part of the re-negotiators? Could Mr Straughn, in clear and modest terms, speak to the going rate for a consultant and if that rate ranges from four to five-figure monthly salaries, how will Government save $1 billion from these specific expenditures?
The irony is that like the last Democratic Labour Party administration when it took up office in 2008 and criticized the Owen Arthur Government for allegedly spreading the wealth around to its political loyalists, the current administration correctly admonished the Freundel Stuart administration for such instances. Now the current government seems set to carry the practice to unprecedented levels. Meanwhile, the lines at the Unemployment Bureau are getting longer and longer each month.
Let’s have the minister itemized the 14 million dollar payment and show where the billion in savings were made.
But at the same time Mr Editor, could you give us evidence that shows your allegations of paying off political loyalists. It a very serious charge, particularly in this environment with strong charges made against the last administration the people just rejected 30 to 0.
Making public statement as you are making can lead to civil unrest, as people start to feel hopeless. So please show your card or delete that accusation. Please sir.
Well, you see, this administration is not playing to thinking Barbadians because they don’t really matter. They play to a majority of the population – native born and National ID holders who could care less if Saturday came on Tuesday, they are just over the moon and stars to be living here and to know that their representatives care
So the spending sprees, the lotta long and convoluted talk is exactly what it is…….Spin! And the majority don’t give two hoots about that as long as they have a red shirt.
So while this article hits the nail on its head, those who read will agree and sigh, and the majority will not see it; don’t care about it.
Yesssss MINISTER!
Independent overseas qualified International Consultants unfortunately are required to negotiate our foreign debt restructuring with our foreign lenders and holders of our bonds. What is most insulting and should be raised Is that those responsible for the printing of our money and endangering our Country is now acting as a paid Consultant for the Foreign Creditors. Also how can our new government ask anyone here to renegotiate bad Contracts and not be accused of a Vendetta, Witch Hunt , bias against its own citizens and intent to get even
The fact is that this BLP Administration DOES NOT have a clue how to properly manage the affairs of the country, hence all these consultants, costing us millions of dollars. Right now we have three Finance Ministers. When was the last, or first , time you heard Mia deliver anything as Finance Minister???
hmmm… to be honest @Johnny Crow; When was the last, or first , time you heard Mia deliver anything as Finance Minister???
… that’s a fair point. But as importantly her role as Finance minister doesn’t really sit well with the Transparency and Integrity agenda. I’m not saying she is doing anything untoward but since we effectively have a one party state with no official or elected opposition, no real checks and balances, it would be better if that function was given to an “independent” (whatever independent really means) ministry/body.
“The irony is that like the last Democratic Labour Party administration when it took up office in 2008 and criticized the Owen Arthur Government for allegedly spreading the wealth around to its political loyalists, the current administration correctly admonished the Freundel Stuart administration for such instances. Now the current government seems set to carry the practice to unprecedented levels.”
So what is the problem, Mr. Editor? You have just indicated that all governments reward “political loyalists” for a job well done and for their undying support to the Party. That is the nature of politics — you criticize me; I criticize you. The problem comes when these appointees fail to deliver, as was the case during the last DLP administration. No one can see the results of what Guyson Mayers was paid over $300,000 to do. Remember the David Thompson “fatted calf”?
Only the Owen Arthur BLP administration did not lay-off any public workers. Unemployment fell to under 7% by the time he left Office. The Freundel Stuart-led government sent home over 3,500 workers in one fell swoop, after pre-election promises that “not a single public worker would be sent home”.
The nature of the economic crisis and infrastructural neglect left behind by the last DLP administration requires all hands on deck to get us out of this morass. Just watch and see how this island in the sun will be TRANSFORMED into a modern and efficient 21st century society, and to do such requires the best brains.
The savings derived from renegotiating egregious contracts entered into by that “pack of wild boys”, as Owen referred to the Freundel Stuart administration, will more than compensate for any increase in consultancy fees in the 2019-20 Estimates.
“Meanwhile, the lines at the Unemployment Bureau are getting longer and longer each month.”
But Barbados Today, you failed to mention that the “long lines” are made up only of BLACK BARBADIANS!!!!!
Unemployed BLACK BARBADIANS are paying for this army of Consultants. As much as I feel sorry for them, it serves them right. They voted in the BLP 30-0. They are not enough WHITE BAJANS OR INDIAN MUSLIMS in Barbados to do that. They only make up 3% of the Barbados population.
As the old Black Bajans used to say, they are now eating the bread the DEVIL knead.
BT: Your Editorial makes for interesting reading, but really it does not say much.
The fact remains that if Barbados does not come up with a practical sustainable growth plan that can be implemented then we will end up back right here in this exact same position. Regardless who is “running” the government.
carl harper you are one of those over paid…over rated under performing consultants? you same the same thing every time and then pretend you so clean…wheel and come again…
@JOHNNY THE GROW; be honest with yourself for once. Did your party ever had a clue about running anything for the 10 years and 90 days that they were in office? you had a clueless PM., a MOFailure who look after the finances, one making deals for himself and leaving the country flat an its face. With the state that the country is in, say one thing that DEM would have done to get barbados back on its feet other than downgrades every week.
YES CARL HARPER….”So what is the problem, Mr. Editor? You have just indicated that all governments reward “political loyalists” for a job well done and for their undying support to the Party. That is the nature of politics — you criticize me; I criticize you.”…I was just about to comment on that point.
Furthermore, the same DAVID THOMPSON PUBLICLY said that ‘no johnny come lately’ would enjoy this feast of the fatted calf either, as that feast would have been reserved for those who stood behind the Party all of those years,
…and Carson C Cadogan..”.As the old Black Bajans used to say, they are NOW eating the bread the DEVIL knead.”…they are NOW having to eat what that CROOKED DEMOCRATIC LABOR PARTY was KNEADING for 10 years and 90 days…plain WHITE bread at that ….and as the MEDICS would say…eating WHITE bread is bad for ya HEALTH.