Opposition leader Arnhim Eustace has painted a different picture from the one presented by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves called the 2005 Budget address âa vain attempt to fool the peopleâ.
Eustace, was in fiery mood in the opening burst of the four hours allocated for his reply. He accused the government of âappearing to be going fast, like an athlete taking performance enhancing drugs,â and chided the ruling regime for being like the typical athlete, in a state of denial. {{more}}
Eustace, said it was a âlot of talkâ with âno sustainable action to take the country forward.â
To emphasise the inactivity of the government, Eustace alluded to plans aired for projects at Boisden, Tobago Cays, Big Gut, and Call Centres. Eustace saod the government âhas lost its energy,â and with the 2005 budget âhas lost ground.â
He chided the Unity Labour Party regime for taking the nation back into territory unknown since Independence. He said governmentâs management âin terms of macro-economic management was the worst.â
Eustace chided the media for announcing that the $587,095,299 figure was a record. He said it was the first time âthat parliament was being asked to approve a deficit on the Current accountâ.
The Opposition Leader said: âI was warning of the excesses and perils,â but âI underestimated the speed of the recklessness.â He was alarmed and disturbed because of the damage of the economy. For the East Kingstown parliamentarian Dr. Gonsalves âeconomic management was beyond the capacity of the Finance Ministerâ.
The budget was not by choice, because the âchickens were coming home to roostâ.
With his two elected parliamentarians: Dr. Godwin Friday, Northern Grenadines and Terrance Ollivierre, Southern Grenadines alongside, and Senators Gerard Shallow and St. Claire Leacock, Eustace maintained his onslaught on the ruling ULP and the budget address.
He said the government was between a ârock and a hard placeâ, and drifting like âAlice in Wonderlandâ.
He mentioned that the ULP was blaming everything else âexcept the mismanagement of the ULPâ.
Eustace dismissed the occurrences of what the Prime Minister referred to as external shocks.
âIt is part of our being. Donât blame 9/11. Blame our own inadequacies to manage,â Eustace chimed.
âThere is no excuse for spending more than we have,â Eustace went on, and alluded to the Prime Minister as âhanging yo hat where yo hanâ canât reachâ.
He compared the nationâs economic situation to what happened in Dominica, Antigua, Barbados and Belize where those countries were forced to implement measures imposed by the International Monetary Fund.
The Opposition leader questioned whether the presentation was an election budget and recalled that he was in a similar position once with an election looming, but suggested: âWe must deal with reality.â
Eustace noted the theme of the Budget as âSustainable economic growth, fiscal prudence and social justice in a period of external shocks,â but for him, there was nothing prudent. In fact, it was âfiscal recklessness… digging a hole to fill a holeâ.
News
December 10, 2004
Eustace: Lots of talk no action