Jarmila Jackson, Features Writer

It was filled with twists, sudden turns, comedy and even a bit of suspense. We laughed, we cried, we were enthralled. No, this isn't a review of the latest blockbuster, or even a summary of Thursday's cricket match. Instead, for those who tuned in to watch Finance Minister Audley Shaw's first Budget Debate presentation in that post, it was an entertaining few hours.

As many suspected, more people were keen on cricket Thursday afternoon, but for the politically motivated and followers of all things parliamen-tary, Shaw's Budget presentation was entertaining enough.

Was he going to be nervous and awkward or cool, calm and collected?

Thousands tuned in to see. So how did he do?

uncomfortable

"Well he was all right, still. I think he seemed a little uncomfortable at first, but then he got more relaxed and took control of the thing properly. It was well done," said 45-year-old Heston Greeves, a taxi operator from Kingston.

Shelly Campbell, a market vendor from Spanish Town, was a bit more critical. "Him never look like how finance minister fi look. Him try a thing but it nuh really work," she said.

Sugar lobbyist Allan Rickards gave the minister passing marks.

"First of all, it is my belief that Audley Shaw with (Thursday's) performance won his spurs as a minister of finance," Rickards said. "I believe that, overall, it's a credible budget and it lays the foundation for other presenta-tions to come. It was not shorter than other presentations and that is disappointing. I believe he should have been able to give the speech in under two and a half hours."

But despite suggesting the minister was a bit long-winded, Rickards, a speechwriter of several years experience, was more or less satisfied with Shaw's delivery.