Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Representatives was the final in the series of the 2024/2025 Budget Debate when Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke brought the curtains down not only in a hilarious and entertaining way but also in an information-rich one. However, before he dominated the floor, House Speaker Juliet Holness had some urgent matters to address.

Holness commented on the public sentiments expressed concerning the tabling of the auditor general’s reports and her reprimand of House clerk Valrie Curtis for her “gross dereliction of duty”. In light of the former, Holness maintained that she believes the reports are improperly submitted, even as she admitted that there are various interpretations of the law.

When the Leader of Opposition Business Phillip Paulwell asked her to share the Attorney General’s opinion, Holness reaffirmed that there was nothing to hide but argued that it is within her remit to decide whether to make such an opinion public. In the end, Holness said she would table the reports as per the custom, and she would schedule a meeting with the auditor general and other key stakeholders to discuss the way forward. Paulwell asked to be a part of this meeting.

On the latter matter of the House clerk, Holness noted that dialogue was ongoing, so she would not comment at the time. Overall, it was good that the reports were tabled; the public can now be apprised of their details.

Dr Clarke issued a number of red cards to Opposition Leader Mark Golding and his fellow Comrades as he wrapped up the budget presentation. He highlighted that Golding is financially unprincipled and reckless. Dr Clarke also challenged several points made by Golding during his contribution to the budget debate, describing them as deceptive and misleading. One of the things to appreciate about Dr Clarke is that he always brings history and context to the figures he presents. It can equally be said that nowadays budget debates are also more palpable and digestible, which partly explains why more people, especially the youth population, take an interest.

It is rather ironic that, on the one hand, the Government speaks of its fiscal responsibility and prudence as well as its commitment to transparency and accountability. But on the other hand, the Pamela Monroe Ellis-led auditor general reports reveal gross misspending of taxpayers’ money. For example, findings show that the Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) was forking out millions of dollars for unoccupied properties. Approximately $372 million was paid over a three-year period to lease two properties that had not been occupied up to August 31, 2023, according to the report.

Uncontestably, those millions could have been used for a worthy cause, further supporting the poor and vulnerable. Important questions are to be asked: Who approved this transaction? Who monitored the various phases of procurement? Who was derelict in executing their duties? The country’s affairs cannot continue to be treated like those of a patty shop. Do they treat their personal finances or homes this way?

Outside of fiscal responsibility, the Government needs to tackle more pressing issues relating to governance, like Jamaica’s republic status and promised fixed election dates, among others. In fact, the news recently reported that millions of dollars have gone to waste, especially in the local government elections, due to the low voter turnout. We must find a way not to waste money but also preserve trees and the environment. Perhaps twinning both the general and local elections could be a solution or investment in electronic voting.

We look forward to the sectoral debates when the Parliament resumes and hope that the contributions will be meaningful, even as the Opposition strives not to “touch Juliet”.

In the same breath, the media fraternity is encouraged to be fair and balanced in their reporting of national matters. Posting half-truths also help to spread both disinformation and misinformation, which we should aim to counter.

Oneil Madden is a lecturer in language(s) and linguistics at Northern Caribbean University. He is also a PhD candidate in applied linguistics at Clermont Auvergne University, France. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or maddenoniel@yahoo.com.