By Robert Hart, Parliamentary ReporterPORTIA SIMPSON Miller, Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport, yesterday warned that the Fire Department could see job cuts and the closure of fire stations, resulting from what she said was a more than $600 million shortfall in her Ministry's 2004/2005 budgetary allocation.
Mrs. Simpson Miller, who was answering questions on the Local Government Ministry's budgetary allocation during the second day sitting of Parliament's Standing Finance Committee at Gordon House, subsequently surprised many of her Government colleagues when she abstained from voting on an Opposition motion put forward in response to her revelation.
The motion eventually defeated by 26 Government votes to 15 from the Opposition was raised by Audley Shaw, Opposition Spokesman on Finance. Mr. Shaw had moved that members of the committee express 'grave concern at this $637 million shortfall'.
During the vote, glaring Government members were visibly upset by Mrs. Simpson Miller's abstention, while those on the Opposition benches were vigorous in their applause.
GOV'T HARD-PRESSED
In an attempt to counter any negative backlash from the vote, House Leader Dr. Peter Phillips noted that the Government would have been hard-pressed to approve the motion.
"Given the tension from misrepresentation, I think it ought to be made clear that in every area of the budget, there is need for more expenditure," he said.
But even with those remarks, Dr. Phillips was taken to task by an Opposition that reiterated that the fire brigade was an essential service.
The funds, Mr. Shaw had earlier told the committee, are required to "ensure an adequate provision to a critical essential service which is vital to the social and economic life of the country." The Fire Department's allocation of $1.6 billion is already hampered by a $500 million cut to clear outstanding statutory deductions.
SHOUTING MATCH
The House committee erupted into a shouting match when, after having satisfied himself with answers from the Local Government Minister, Mr. Shaw moved that increased allocations, of some $300 million on the recurrent side and $300 million on the capital side, be made available to the Local Government Ministry to pump into the fire department. Members on the Government side accused the Opposition of playing 'cheap politics' in making the call.
John Junor, the Minister of Health, pointed to the gallery where members of the Fire Brigade were viewing the proceedings and remarked that: "They (the firemen) know what you are doing."
It was during the earlier exchange between Mr. Shaw and Mrs. Simpson Miller, that she said the already understaffed fire department could see job cuts in the near future. She explained that the allocation for compensation of employees was about $230 million less than required, specifically with a $5 million increase in monthly salaries resulting from recent staff increases.
According to Mrs. Simpson Miller, travel expenses and subsistence were about $70 million short, while repairs to fire stations was budgeted at about $250 million less than required.
"The Fire Brigade Board will have to take some serious decisions," Minister Simpson Miller stated.
She noted that the $50 million budgeted for the repair of fire stations would only allow for the refurbishing of one building. Four stations across the island require $280 million for repairs.
Mr. Shaw's motion was challenged by both House Leader Peter Phillips and his deputy Derrick Kellier. Mr. Kellier initially argued that a motion calling for an amendment to the estimates could only come from a Minister of Government. The call for an increase in the budgetary allocation was subsequently removed when the motion was returned in writing for committee chairman Michael Peart's ruling.
But Dr. Phillips maintained the Government's stance that the motion was out of order, and after a brief verbal tussle between Government and Opposition members, the committee chairman ruled.
"This motion is in order," Mr. Peart said, noting that it did not call for an increase to the budgetary allocation.
