Warmington refuses to examine tardy constituency project proposals

Yesterday's sitting of Parliament's Constituency Development Fund Committee (CDFC) ended in confusion when Chairman Everald Warmington abruptly adjourned, refusing members' demands that several late submissions for constituency projects be deliberated.

Opposition committee members Derrick Kellier and Noel Arscott, as well as other individuals present, strongly objected to Warmington's decision to adjourn the meeting until after the next financial year, arguing it was unfair to approve some projects and not others.

The members asked for an extension of the meeting, or for another meeting to be scheduled for next week, to examine all the projects. Warmington, however, refused to grant any such extension.

The committee chairman said it was unfair to ask the committee to set aside more time to go through those projects when some parliamentarians on both sides of the House of Representatives, who had the entire financial year to make their submissions, failed to do so on time.

Neither would budge

The exchange between Kellier and Warmington got heated and neither would budge on their view. Kellier maintained that the committee had a responsibility to table a project once it was submitted, despite the time frame. Warmington, meanwhile, insisted it was unacceptable for the MPs to wait until the last minute to make submissions and expect the committee to spend extra time because of their tardiness.

"Once they were submitted, we have a responsibility to the members of the House who worked hard to get their projects here," Kellier argued.

"I do not believe I should accommodate the tardiness of members," Warmington huffed. "Members ought to be diligent in the representation of their constituency, and when members of parliament sit around until February, the last month almost of the financial year, to submit projects in the last week and now you're asking me to extend some privilege to these members who did not seek to do what they ought to do in representing their constituencies and have their projects here on time. I'm sorry, this is the last meeting for the year and I'm not accommodating any other."

Arscott asked for a list of the projects not yet put forward, but Warmington, just before abruptly ending the sitting, instructed him to go to the committee room to get that information.

Before leaving, Warmington said the executive director for the CDFC, Moveta Munroe, made a suggestion regarding the projects not tabled and said she would put it in writing to the members.

The committee has approved 40 projects estimated at a total of around $65 million for constituencies across the island.

Warmington said he was amazed at the number of projects put forward, especially at the last minute, and he was not prepared to rush through them.

The projects include development projects for sports, youth, agriculture, roadworks, community, community centres, education and schools.

The funds will go to the various implementing agencies that will be in charge of the projects, including the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Social Development Commission, National Works Agency and various parish councils.