House clash
Published:Thursday | May 12, 2011 | 12:00 AM
- Shaw, Pickersgill face off over PNP 'recklessness'
Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter
THE USE of unparliamentary language characterised a verbal clash between Finance and Public Service Minister Audley Shaw and Opposition Spokesman on Transport Robert Pickersgill, as the minister closed the 2011-2012 Budget Debate in Gordon House yesterday.
Insults were exchanged between both men as Speaker Delroy Chuck struggled to cool tempers.
An infuriated Pickersgill rose repeatedly during Shaw's presentation, attempting to stop him in his tracks as the finance minister accused Pickersgill's People's National Party of "reckless" management of the economy during the 1990s.
Shaw said were it not for the bad management by the government of the day, the Financial Sector Adjustment Company (FINSAC) would not have been established.
"The FINSAC bonds that we have to be servicing as a result of the $140-billion debt are a part of this Budget," Shaw declared. Directing his comments at Pickersgill, he said: "No more of such asinine interventions."
Instantaneously, Pickersgill was on his feet, confronting Shaw, as he hit back: "Anybody more asinine than you?"
Speaker Chuck instructed both parliamentarians to withdraw the comment, saying the language was unparliamentary.
Shaw first withdrew the statement, saying Pickersgill's intervention was "entirely mischievous and inappropriate".
"The sarcasm is deafening. I would not normally refer to him as asinine, and for that I withdraw," Pickersgill responded.
The opposition spokesman on transport argued that Shaw's reference to the FINSAC enquiry was inappropriate as the enquiry was currently under way.
"The FINSAC commission is still meeting. You should not be commenting on the proceedings," Pickersgill complained.
In his defence, Shaw contended that it was a public enquiry and he was quoting from articles that had appeared in the press.
Shaw had quoted from Elon Beckford, former chairman of Horizon Financial Services Group; Dr Paul Chen Young, former chairman, Eagle Group of Companies; Keith Foote, former owner, Little Pub Hotel, and realtor Lascelles Poyser. These persons had given testimony before the FINSAC commission of enquiry set up to determine the reasons for the 1990s financial-sector meltdown.
Turning his attention to the Ocho Rios to Port Antonio leg of the highway project, Shaw charged that the management of the project under the PNP administration was a "classic case of fiscal recklessness".
He explained that a project which started out at a projected cost of $5.86 billion, or $61 million per kilometre, had ended up costing the Government $7.3 billion or $76 million per kilometre.
"With a written claim made by the contractors for $10.3 billion additionally, this could cost the Government a whopping $17.6 billion or $183 million per kilometre, representing a cost overrun of more than 120 per cent," Shaw argued.
Shaw's assertion triggered another sharp response from Pickersgill, with both men and other members shouting at deafening decibel levels.
"There is nothing as yet to establish any overruns. What is before us is the fact that contractors have made some claims which are in the ordinary run of business. To me, it is unprincipled, if not vulgar," Pickersgill stated.
According to him, arbitration was about to take place in an attempt to reach a settlement, and government ministers were debating the matter in Parliament. He was also referring to Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry's Budget presentation, where he said the PNP administration had left a $10-billion debt from the road project.