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We granted 65% pay increase to teachers and 42% to police and over 30%
to other public sector workers.
We did all this, kept exchange rate stable so the public sector workers could
enjoy their extra disposable income, lowered taxes on motor vehicles so
they could buy cars and we did all this without raiding the NHT of $11.4
billion per year.
Agriculture – Sugar Cane Expansion Fund
Mr Speaker, I must touch on the Sugar Cane Expansion Fund. Under the
European Union-sponsored Sugar Transformation Programme,
Accompanying Measures Fund, a special $2.0 billion Sugar Cane Expansion
Fund was established.
The Fund was established as a revolving loan scheme to assist farmers to
re-establish cane production on an aggressive scale.
There are now reports that the Fund is apparently severely depleted to the
point that no further loan can be issued.
I am requesting the Auditor General of Jamaica to carry out a special audit
of the entire EU Sugar Transformation expenditure programme, including
the housing component as well as the cane expansion programme, as
reports are that those programmes are beset by cronyism, improper
practices and rank conflict of interest in the distribution of loans.
Mr Speaker, I will briefly speak on another expenditure budget item to illustrate
the Government’s misplaced priority in spending our tax dollars. In this current
budget the Jamaica Information Service budget has been increased from J$336M
in 2014/2015 to J$ 522M or an increase of $186M or a whopping 55%. Mr
Speaker, we have to wonder why such an increase when we have a plethora of