The Committee of Supply on Thursday approved $438M for the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to hire the requisite consultants that would formulate several strategies and plans.
Prior to its approval, the allocation came in for scrutiny by Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul. He noted that in 2021, $324M was approved, followed by $356 in 2022 and then $376M in 2023 to craft a number of policies that would improve efficiency within the ministry. Expounding further, Mahipaul said, “The ministry was required to have a Local Government Sector strategy, a Local Government data infrastructure system, a Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development strategy, a Sanitation Sector plan, and the establishment of a Monitoring and Evaluation framework.”
After spending over $1B from 2021 to 2023, Mahipaul asked Parag to explain why none of the strategies were done as well as what became of the funds. He also asked her to explain why the committee should believe that now, with $400M more, those strategies, plans, and infrastructure would be put in place.
Parag explained that the foregoing items formed part of a project that was being done in conjunction with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). She said it was subsequently discontinued.
“…The sum that was left for logistics was a marginal amount, and this year, we want to finish this. So you will see the money allotted being used for that,” she said.
No further explanations were provided on what became of the previous sums expended.
Be that as it may, Mahipaul turned his attention to line item 6116, which dealt with contractors. Mahipaul said he noticed that there was an increase from 26 to 27 employees and asked Parag to state who was the new hire.
Parag explained that a legal assistant was hired as of May 2023. In an attempt to preempt Mahipaul, Parag volunteered that the $109M allocation to pay contracted employees caters for the 6.5 percent increase granted by government last year.
Mahipaul said he did take into account the 6.5 percent increase but still found the $109M allocation troubling when one considers that the previous year, it was $93.7M.
If 6.5 percent is added to the 2023 sum for 26 persons, Mahipaul said it would only work out to $99.78M.
“When that $99.78M is subtracted from the 2024 allocation of $109.2M, the remainder is some $9.4M,” the parliamentarian explained. He then asked Minister Parag to explain if this $9.4M caters for the new salary and benefits for just one new hire for a 12-month period. After Parag answered in the affirmative, he asked her for a breakdown of the salary and benefits.
“Since you are so good at doing maths, I am sure you can dissect it,” was Parag’s retort. Upon Mahipaul’s insistence, she revealed that the legal assistant will get $319,500 a month.
Since there were no further inquiries, the Committee of Supply approved $438.151M for the ministry to pursue its policy development agenda.
