MP Friday non-committal about PM’s $10,000 challenge

Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines Dr Godwin Lorraine Friday, remains non-committal about a challenge thrown out to him to donate $10,000 towards the refurbishment of the playing field on Bequia.{{more}}

Friday told SEARCHLIGHT that the issue is a serious one and a matter of public policy.

“This is not how public policy is conducted,” he said.

“My job as the area representative is to raise these issues, and it can’t be contingent on what I do or what any individual does.

“Whatever I do in the community is a matter of personal choice; if the prime minister has $10,000 or $100,000 that he wants to commit to the project, then you know, that’s his choice,” Friday said.

He further explained that what the prime minister did as public policy should not be contingent on what he (Friday) or any other private citizen decides to put into the project.

“So, I took it as him creating a joke at the function, to try to make light of the situation, somewhat, but I hope that that is not the full extent of his commitment, because $10,000 or $20,000 is not

going to complete the project, we need some dedicated funds from the government, other public institutions and if private individuals wish to contribute, that’s welcomed as always – but that shouldn’t be contingent on that,” Friday told SEARCHLIGHT.

He said that he had been pushing to have some work done on the facility for some time now, saying that it has now become dangerous to use the recreational facility.

“I hope it gets the serious attention that it deserves,” he said.

On Monday, March 18, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, while making an address at the opening of a new health facility in Port Elizabeth, threw out a challenge to Friday, which he had earlier made in Parliament.

Gonsalves said that he was going to begin a fund dedicated to the refurbishment of the playing field and that he would start off the fund by making a contribution of $10,000.

“I want Lorraine (Friday) to join me as the parliamentary representative – I will take from my own pocket $10,000 and I want him to sign a cheque too for $10,000,” the prime minister said.

“He is making more money than me, because he is in private practice, practising law,” he continued.

Gonsalves said that he was expected to leave the state on Wednesday of this week, but indicated that he would leave an open cheque with his secretary.

“She can put in the date, she can put in the fund to which we are going to do it – as soon as Lorraine calls and says that he has $10,000 too,” Gonsalves said.

And it is expected that the government would make a contribution, as would the National Lotteries Authority (NLA), and according to the Prime Minister, any other private individual willing to make a donation would be more than welcome to do so.

He said that the fund will be over seen by Deputy Director of the Grenadines Affairs, Herman Belmar, and that there will be a committee to ensure proper accounting is maintained.

“But that is my promise today.

“Lorraine said that he spoke to me about it; I agree; I told him the same thing in Parliament; I said so again today publicly. I will put $10,000 to start the ball rolling, providing on the same day that he puts in $10,000 to start it,” the prime minister said. (DD)