Dr. Bernard Nottage (PLP) Minister of National Security suggested recently that the government’s botched opinion poll on whether or not to authorise taxation of gaming houses cost $5 million dollars to conduct, in contradiction of the Prime Minster’s statement of over $1 million.
He then “corrected” himself and released the details of the costs to the Parliamentary Registration Department but did not include the amount paid to the foreign consultants or other charges associated with the poll.
While I applaud Dr. Nottage for releasing the information on taxpayer money paid out by the Parliamentary Registration Department to correct his “error”, leaving off associated costs is as misleading as his first statement on the matter.
Of course the Opposition (FNM) is making hay over this, and rightly so. The PLP have done no less when they kept the Opposition bench warm.
However, both parties are guilty of not accounting properly to the taxpayer, so when as government they are afraid their actions will not go down well, they think hiding the information until a little time passes solves the matter.
So often it seems they’re simply taking advantage of the taxpayer. Maybe it’s because they can take tax dollars from us on a whim that they think they can spend it without proper disclosure?
