BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, SEPTEMBER 30TH 2014 (CUOPM) – The Annual National Consultation on the Economy is a process through which the Government views, hears suggestions and critiques of its plans from the public.
The Consultation is held prior to the presentation of the annual Budget.
Speaking during his weekly radio call in programme “Ask the Prime Minister,” Dr. Douglas pointed out that it was his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration that held the first consultation seventeen years ago.
“And we have faithfully come back, in the process of preparing our Budget, every year since,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
“But only because this Government made it so. Never before in the history of this country had any other government ever opened itself to public inspection and questioning in this way. And I must say that that is what sets this Government apart,” the Prime Minister said.
He opined that it must be remembered that until his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration took office in July 1995, “no other Government in the country’s history had ever allowed any national, citizen, or resident to directly question, critique, support, or oppose the Prime Minister, not one-on-one and in private, but within the earshot of the entire Nation, and indeed any interested party with access to the internet, anywhere in the world.”
“There will be the presentation of the Budget in December. And the Budget is the most important legislation passed by any parliament anywhere, because if a Budget is unable to win a majority of the votes in a parliament, the government in question would be unable to pay teachers or nurses; pave roads and provide crucial agricultural inputs to farmers; put security measures in place at its nation’s sea and airports, and so on,” said Prime Minister Douglas. .
The theme of Thursday’s National Consultation on the Economy is “Keeping the Edge – Energizing Growth and Human Development.”
Prime Minister Douglas pointed out that there are certain figures who attack his Government mercilessly.
“They say I am a dictator. Those figures have radio programmes as well. But they totally and completely refuse to allow anybody – whether at home or abroad to call in to those shows. What you have to say, what you think, what you may need to have clarified, is of zero interest to them. And so, for the entire duration of their shows, you have to sit down, shut up, and listen. Think about this the next time you tune into their show. And think about what this tells you about them, and how they really feel about democracy – and you,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
The St. Kitts and Nevis leader pointed out however that while the detractors are talking, the Labour Party Government is working on behalf of the people of the twin-island Federation.
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