ULP will not adopt a laid back attitude – PM

ALTHOUGH December is normally considered a month of festivities, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves says that the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration will not adopt a laid back attitude.
He said during December, government will present 12 Bills to Parliament.

“We have to work hard and smart. I want to show you that even over this season your government will be working hard and smart as if it just come to office,” Gonsalves said on December 9 at the Campden Park Secondary School (CPSS) during the party’s 23rd convention.

He announced that the Government will take to parliament: the Drug Prevention and Misuse Amendment Bill, the Child Justice Bill, the Income Tax Amendment Bill, the Advance Cargo Information Bill, the Public Procurement Bill, the Automatic Exchange and Financial Account Information Common Reporting Standards Amendment Bill, the Mt Wynne Hotel Project Loan Authorization Bill, the International Business Companies Amendment Bill and the International Amendment Bill.

Last week the Government shelved the Permitted Use of Cannabis for Religious Purpose Bill and passed the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Bill and The Cannabis Cultivation (Amnesty).

Gonsalves said all the Bills which will be dealt with this month are substantive.

“…And I want to see if they can take the pressure. I want to see if the lazy man them and the lazy woman them could take the pressure,” Gonsalves said, referring to the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) parliamentarians.

He added while speaking to the crowd at the convention: “You know mouth don’t run Government you know, it is activities, real serious activities and in all of these Bills are important public policies to advance the interest of the people.”

The Prime Minister noted that apart from the Bills, the Cabinet and all the government departments are working on finalizing the Estimates of Expenditure and Revenue for 2019 and the Budget.

The Estimates will be presented on January 23, and Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves will present the Budget on January 29.

“You see a work schedule? And none of them men (ULP parliamentarians) here going bun (get tired). Not one of them and I have my energies renewed and refresh like the eagle,” the Prime Minister said.

He added, “when the NDP them work two hours they want to go home, and I want to demonstrate to the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines that though Christmas is a time when we must celebrate, especially the 24th, the 25th and the 26th, I want you to know just like how I started here by saying we have to work hard and smart, I want to show you that even over this season, your government will be working hard and smart as if we just come to office,” said Gonsalves.