Christmas bonus- CDF committee fast-tracks project approvals

Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

The island's 60 members of parliament will have big bucks being spent in their constituencies this Christmas after parliament's Constituency Development Fund Committee (CDFC) approved several projects in time for the festive season.

After three weeks of fast work, the Everald Warmington-led committee yesterday signed off on the final Christmas projects as it closed deliberations for the year.

Some members of the committee even expressed a willingness to meet next week to ensure that all the projects from their colleagues on both sides of the House were approved.

But Warmington decided to extend yesterday's meeting to consider the projects.

At the end of the meeting, Warmington was unable to provide figures on the projects approved and the cost, but checks by The Gleaner suggest that each MP will have an estimated $3.5 million to spend on various Christmas projects.

These include the cleaning of gullies and drains, the resurfacing of roads, and even sports days in some constituencies.

Paid to agencies

However, the MPs will not get the money in their hands to dole out as the funds from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) will be paid to the implementing agencies, including parish councils, the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the National Works Agency.

Yesterday, the CDFC approved18 more projects, making it approximately 70 given the green light for the Christmas season.

Among the projects approved were a $2.4-million beautification plan for the South East St Elizabeth constituency, represented by Franklyn Witter, and a $3.3-million project to beautify East Central St James, which is represented by Edmund Bartlett.

The committee also gave the green light to government MP Gregory Mair to reallocate $600,000 from his education assistance scheme to emergency welfare to satisfy demand for that level of assistance, and $1 million to opposition MP Dr Fenton Ferguson for welfare assistance in his Eastern St Thomas constituency.

Another government MP, Dr St. Aubyn Bartlett was granted his request for $750,000 to do road repairs in the Mountain View Avenue community of Back Bush.

Having approved the projects Warmington expressed concern that many of the implementing agencies have failed to follow the rules which require them to establish separate accounts for the CDF money.

"Originally, under the programme the intent was that, as was in the SESP (Social and Economic Support Programme), when funds are disbursed or sent to a particular implementing agency for constituencies a special account would be opened for CDF funds only," Warmington said.

He argued that this was part of the original document establishing the CDF but has not been followed by most agencies, with the exception being the SDC.

"I believe that in the coming guidelines, we need to have this included, that the CDF funds do not intermingle with the funds of implementing agencies, (and) that special accounts be established in these agencies for CDF funds starting with the new financial years," Warmington said.

He was supported by the committee members, including government MP Andrew Gallimore, who urged the CDF unit to inform the agencies.

"I think it would go a far way in making sure that the funds that go to these agencies are available in a timely manner," Gallimore said.