The Labour Spokesman Editorial
Wednesday 15 December 2021 was set as the date for parliament to convene and process the government’s budget for the fiscal year 2022. Selected persons went about touting what a special and great budget session it was going to be. Everyone, near and far, would get to see that UNITY was still united.
Some people say that the budget presentation was for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis another charade, and that from the earliest stages, it became clear that, amongst other changes, ‘unity’ had indeed fled the schemers. Others have noted the customary bombast, and the repetitions of ‘my government’, to realise that there is a split in the government, and it is a huge one.
It is said that the budget presenter Prime Minister Harris likes to quote from the Good Book, always claiming that he is so good that two of the books are named after him when clearly he does not understand how that works. Some say there was an apparent and brazen attempt to ‘buy off’ the people when it was announced that a ‘double salary’ was to be paid for Christmas. When the leader of the opposition sought certain clarifications he was subjected to abuse and attempted ridicule. Those attempts fell flat.
Tourist ships have been docking in the harbour, yet there are no tourists to talk about. If there is any doubt about that just ask the taxi drivers and tour operators. What most persons hoped to hear from the government during the session was their concern, if any, about the steep increases in the price of goods at the supermarkets, groceries, ordinary shops, and the hucksters in the market places. Those increases have been inflicted on the people on an ongoing basis since February 2015; the pandemic has only accelerated the rate at which they have been levied. Dear readers, what is your impression of the budget presentation?