Henry chides Opposition for Parliament walkout

Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

Minister of Transport and Works, Mike Henry, yesterday blasted the Opposition for walking out of last week's sitting of Parliament's Standing Finance Committee examining the 2010-2011 Estimates of Expenditure.

Henry, who is also chairman of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), said the Opposition's action is one of political expedience.

"In reality, what they claimed to have come on was simply a change of procedure in the last two years," he said.

"That procedure entails that the public bodies be placed in a separate yellow book, that the public bodies relate to all the agencies that fall under Government which have a loan portfolio or commitment, and indeed that is where the income and expenditure relates as against the Estimates of Expenditure," Henry added.

Opposition Spokesman on Finance Dr Omar Davies, who Henry called "the failed finance minister", had accused the Government of hiding information on the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP).

He questioned why the allocation was not placed in the capital budget.

However Henry said the Opposition was not prepared to accept any explanation to the issue raised by Davies. He pointed to a statement from opposition member Phillip Paulwell saying it is proof the Opposition wanted to make a political point.

Paulwell, the opposition spokesman on energy and telecommunication, while addressing a meeting in his Kingston Eastern and Port Royal constituency on the day of the walk-out, told the gathering he had to return to Parliament to be part of a walkout by the Opposition.

Davies has charged that the Road Maintenance Fund, which has responsibility for the JDIP funds, was been used keep money out of the scrutiny of Parliament.

reviewed by Parliament

"We are demanding that the sum to be expended, which is 20 per cent of the capital budget, be totally subject to the review by Parliament like any other project," Davies said.

But Henry said the Opposition have used its powers in the Parliament to examine the JDIP.

"I would remind the press that they chair the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC). They have asked numerous questions in the House that have all been answered. They have demanded an audit at one level and therefore fully versed and can at any time demand what information they want," Henry said.