Charles to Rowley: Explain major cuts to Social Welfare while increase for Gov’t rentals

Member for Naparima, Mr. Rodney Charles,
Image Courtesy: Office of the Parliament.

A review of rents paid by 6 Ministries show that budget allocations exceed that of last year by over $50 million.

According to Naparima MP Rodney Charles, this is a sad indictment on the Governments setting of priorities in the budget given that grants and subsidies to 31 educational institutions were cut by a total of $158million, senior citizens grants were cut by $244million, social assistance by $184million, disability grants cut by $89million and the school feeding program was reduced by $52million.

By contrast, rents paid by the Ministry of Finance increased by $12million.

Rents at the THA increased by $13million.

At the Ministry of Works and Transport by $10million.

The Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, $6.6million.

The Office of the Prime Minister, $4.5million, and the Ministry of Public Utilities by $3million.

This fixation on rent, and it being sacrosanct when it comes to budget cuts flies in the face of changes being made worldwide where, in the context of the new Covid environment, businesses are leaning more towards remote work arrangements than in person operations and are focusing on accelerating the digitisation of the economy.

According to The UK Guardian, BP is taking steps to almost halve its property portfolio by shifting 50,000 employees toward remote or flexible working arrangements.

Covid has been here for the past 7 months. The Government had adequate time to negotiate with landlords for reduced rents, or even to come up with plans to engage in constructing our own buildings through private public partnerships or using government resources, or making online arrangements.

If BP could adjust in the short time that Covid has been with us, why could this PNM administration not do so?

Instead, their priorities lie in spending $23million for upgrades to 3 Alexandra Place, owned by the AGs family.

It is apparent that, while the masses suffer, friends and financiers will not share in the burden of dealing with Covid under Rowley’s watch.