Jordan to PPP: “What you wanted us to do, dump all your projects?”

– as he defends Budget 2016

February 14, 2016 By GuyanaTimes, http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2...p-all-your-projects/

As he wrapped up the debates on the proposed $230 billion 2016 Budget, Finance Minister Winston Jordan fired back at the Opposition for accusing Government of “repackaging” projects that were initiated under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Throughout the just concluded debates, most if not all, of the Opposition parliamentarians repeatedly highlighted the fact that for the second time around, the coalition Government brought to the National Assembly a budget that is flooded with “repackaged PPP” projects, as it accused the current Administration of being visionless.

However, defending his second budget proposal on Friday night, Jordan sought to address the accusation. The Finance Minister asked whether his Administration should have “dumped” the projects that millions were already spent on.

“They talking about repackaged projects – this is PPP, that is PPP and everything is PPP – we just here for four months, what you want us to do? Dump every one of them?” a fired-up Jordan questioned.

He pointed out that it is customary for any new Government to continue projects that were started by its predecessor since a lot of time, effort and money would have already been expended on them.

The Minister reflected to back in 1992 when the PPP came into power, they too took over and implemented projects that were created by its predecessor – the People’s National Congress (PNC).

“In first four to five years (when PPP came into power), they were implementing projects that were set up by the PNC… we’re not blaming or telling them anything for that. It’s the nature of the business, you can’t just come in and dump projects that have already started,” he noted.

Jordan continued saying “so what is wrong with these projects that they have borrowed money for – big money that you got to pay back. So what is wrong with us continuing and finishing those projects that are crowding out the fiscal space that we have, that we cannot bring our projects in because we inherited all these projects – many of them you have enormous problems with”.

The Finance Minister mentioned the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion project, for which half of the money was advanced to the contract (China Harbour and Railway Company) and yet the works done there thus far is not reflective of the amount of money paid out. He revealed that his Administration through the Public Infrastructure Ministry had to redesign the project and works are expected to recommence soon.

Jordan went on to talk about the controversial Specialty Hospital Project, on which US$4.2 million of US$18 million has gone down the drain because the company that the PPP/C Administration selected took an advance and later found themself in local courts for defrauding Government because they did not do any of the work they had do.

“The people who were aggrieved in this process, who know about building specialty hospitals… they came to our rescue and say we will try and see what we can do with this US$14 million… these generous people say come fire or water, we will do it and lets sign a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect,” the Minister stated, while adding that the office brought out the fireworks in the name of transparency and accountability.

Nevertheless, the Minister said he is not bothered with the “hot air and the hot noise” but is more concerned about what will be said of him about his work and that of his Government.

“Five years from now, you can’t tell people you win a debate against the Opposition Leader… What have you done for me will be the question and if you can’t answer it then we will be old men and geriatrics for real,” Jordan remarked.