Skelton warns against treating consolidated fund like a spring
Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton has urged the government against using the territory’s consolidated fund like a flowing spring to collect its revenue.
Skelton made the remarks during a recent debate on the latest Schedule of Additional Provisions (SAP) which was approved by legislators.
He said the BVI, while allowing its Finance Minister the legal right under the constitution to allocate monies where there are insufficient funds, is not in the same position as other countries that print money.
He urged the government to find ways of doing more with the revenue that is collected and pointed out that the United States relies on the strength of its economy to determine whether it should print more money. “We can’t print money, so we need to have it, or know that we can collect it from someplace,” Skelton said.
According to the Opposition Leader, there are ways within the budget itself where the government can increase revenue sources so that it can do more with what it has.
He suggested that the government can reprioritise its budget, and collect more money in stamp duty or even financial services. “[Say] this is where the money is coming from,” Skelton said. “Otherwise we are treating the consolidated fund as if, it’s like a spring. You just wake up in the morning, money comes.”
“We can’t operate like that, otherwise we’re going to find ourselves in a financial hole. And then when the governor and them take over our country, we only have ourselves to blame,” he added.
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just yes. We need to demand a rethinking of all of this.
OUR PREMIER IS NOT BUSINESS SAVY…NEVER SOLD AS MUCH AS A CANDY YET
The frightening thing about the way the public purse is being handled is that is shows a moral breakdown in the territory that does not print its own money, but people behaving as if they are picking it off of trees that are on their own property and therefore they are free to do as they please. What kind of culture has the BVI evolved into when people don’t even seem to have a conscience anymore? What message are the youths getting? It’s OK to beg politicians, and if you are in a position to just take it, help yourself to the buffet regardless of how much you are making? It’s a shame. and the Opposition who was talking about vote of no confidence is not going to do anything about that because they too are part of the problem. Something has to give, don’t know how or when, but if the AG’s report is not gospel then who has the gospel needs to share it, and we must not forget that the UN is not only there to run to for decolonisation issues, they are also a watchdog for corruption so they cut both ways.
Ahhh Ronnie be quiet. You are no different to who is in there. Actually you are worse then they are.
When yo tell home boy yo going in to thief, yo get elected, yo no now in, yo must be thiefing.
But the. greater issue is the moral depravity to think so low even before being elected.
Noone knows what is taking place, but no dooubt corruption, thief and other could/may be a daily part of proceedings, as it such were the stated intentions. Sad what our country, its, coffers and politics, politicians and some so called leaders have come to.
We we also know ther are a few good and honest ones, but unfortunately, they are not controlling the money today, its the ones who said they are going in to steal and thief that are in control.. And no amount of COI can scope um out and catch um..We frig.
Must have been a good reason why he told you that. Sone of you are ridiculous. Hon. Ronnie Skelton is one of the most honest person around; and we’ve made a big mistake not having as our Premier in this time. Action speaks louder than words. Brains matter but we have 4 years to soak in what was done.
Stop the presummptions and learn to discern, interpret, and. comprehend what you read and read correctly.
If you did read and comprehend correctly, there is no way you could have printed the words you did.
Mr. Skelton told me no such words for your feeble minded notification…In fact i never had a conversation with the gentle man.
I did have an in cyber space conversation with some who are now elected, and they said what their were, and those intentions were to steal and thief the goverment coffers dry….
Ain’t making that shyt up.. That’s what they said. Then allyo voted in the whole damn team, then put them to work, thief.. so yo don’t think they not go thief?
Further, it is the crooks you all elected and reelected that did the crookedness, and it is those whom the words were directed towards.
Mr Skelton, on the other hand, has no such corruptive stigma attached to his service of his country over his long tenure… That is why many still trust him..