The Mid-Year Budget Presentation

Tue, Mar 15th 2011, 11:58 AM

Madam President,

Honorable Members,

While the Annual Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure Budget relates to what a government plans to do in a given year, the Mid-Year Budget Progress Report is about what has been done during the first half of the fiscal year and any adjustments if necessary to expenditure for the second half.

A budget shows a government’s vision for the future through its allocation of funds and manpower and projected revenue. The mid-year details a government’s actions.

It explains how successful the government’s ventures were and the adjustment necessary to ensure their continuation. Action without vision leads to confusion and chaos.

The mid-year budget performance also shows the commitment of this government as stated by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister in his Mid-Year Budget Statement "in strengthening accountability and transparency in our public finances." Madam President

The Ministry of Labour and Social Development for which I hold portfolio responsibility has tried to put the government’s vision for a better, brighter more beautiful Bahamas into action.

We have done so in a Christian context, remembering that we are called upon to love our neighbors as ourselves and that we are our brothers keepers.

In this context we also realize that it is by the sweat of our brow that we are to earn our bread. Therefore, we have provided charity for those in need while pursuing employment for those who can and desire to work.

My ministry's work is far-reaching, we are involved in one way or another in the lives of our people from birth to death and all points in between.

While we have managed programmes that help the sick, the disabled, the elderly and children to remain healthy and hopeful, we also oversee programmes aimed at job creation and skills training.

Additionally we have responsibility for Urban Renewal, Consumer Affairs, Community Affairs and the Women’s Bureau.

Madam President While the main portion of this part of my presentation shall deal with labour matters, I wish to speak first on Social Services particularly as the Department of Social Services is among the six entities identified for supplementary allocations for the second half of the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

In fact, the Department of Social Services will receive $3.8 million dollars to allow it to provide additional food assistance, lunch for needy school children and other support to persons in need.

The impact of social assistance particularly at this time cannot be overstated nor underestimated. We have and continue to ensure that needy persons are assisted.

I wish to share some statistics to demonstrate this by giving the expenditure for some assistance programmes for the period July - December 2010 for New Providence:

* Disability Allowance for children with special needs - $118,000 * Foster Care Allowance - $405,000 * Assistance with electrical payments - $227,000.00 * Rental Assistance - $428.000.00 * National Lunch Programme - $361.000.00 * Food Assistance - $3,850.000.00

Madam President,

We are painfully aware of the impact the economic situation has had on our people in Grand Bahama which has necessitated large numbers or persons turning to Social Services for help. Between July - December 2010 assistance was provided as follows:

Emergency Food Assistance - $252,000.00

Permanent Food Assistance - $287,000.00

Temporary Food Assistance - $1,100.00

Total expended for Food = $1,676.000.00

Family Islands

Madam Speaker;

The various assistance programmes of the government are available throughout The Bahamas and funds are provided for these are allocated under Family Island Operations which was allocated $2,952,096 for the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

In December 2010, there was an increase of fifty cents (.50) to the unit cost per lunch for the National Lunch Programme across The Bahamas.

This was the first such increase in seven years and was welcomed by the individuals who are contracted as caterers for the programme.

The supplementary funds which will be made available in this midterm budget will permit for more needy children to be added to the programme.

Labour Issues.

Madam President;

While the Department of Social Services is charged with providing assistance to persons in need, the Department of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development is striving to keep persons off social assistance through the matching of prospective employees with available vacancies while ensuring that the rights of workers are upheld.

One of the areas under the control of the Department Labour is the Skills Bank. The purpose of the Skills Bank is to match potential employees with potential employers.

When the government introduced the Unemployment Benefits Programme a mandatory

requirement was that all those seeking such benefits would have to be registered at the Skills Bank. In addition to the registration of persons applying for the Unemployment Benefit, other unemployed persons register with the Skills Bank.

Madam President;

In reviewing the data from the skills bank for the period July - December 2010 and comparing it with that for the same period in 2009, I have observed the following:

In the month of December 2009 some 1,900 persons in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Exuma registered with the Skills Bank. For the same period in 2010, on the same islands, the number of people registering was under 400. The drastic drop in numbers is due to the fact that by 2010 the economy was doing much better and there were no more mass lay-offs.

Secondly, people have begun to find new jobs. The process is sure to be slow and not everyone will find work the pays as much as their former salaries but the majority of them will be employed.

Madam President;

At the forefront of the Department of Labour’s duties is fostering and maintaining industrial harmony. It is through such harmony that organizations throughout the country remain profitable and globally competitive. The activities that can be deemed profitable in the long run will be: adequate workers’ compensation; proper training; orderly conduct at work; commitment to excellence at all levels and fair labour practices.

We can reason that wildcat strikes, lockouts by management; employee pilfering; inter union and intra union strife; and authoritarian management styles are activities that lead to losses by the company and the country.

One way in which the Department seeks to foster harmony is through industrial agreement mediation. During the past six months the Department of Labour has overseen the mediation of a number of industrial agreements. Among them are the agreement between the Bahamas Utilities Service Allied Workers Union and the Water and

Sewerage Corporation. That agreement will last from the 1st of July, 2010 to June, 2013.

An agreement was also signed between The National Insurance Board and the Union of Public Officers in October of last year.

An agreement was also reached between the Grand Bahama Power Company and the Commonwealth Electrical Workers Union and the management union.

There was also an agreement between the Broadcasting Corporation and the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union.

I am glad to report that after years of dispute an agreement has been signed between the Union of Tertiary Educators and the College of The Bahamas.

As we are all aware disagreements between employers and employees lead to losses of both time and money. It is therefore in the best interest of all parties that such disagreements be avoided.

To this end, this month the International Labour Organization will hold a five day workshop for employees, employers and government workers on dispute prevention.

Such workshops ensure that the Commonwealth of The Bahamas remains at an international level in all matters pertaining to labour relations.

Madam President

Last year March a tornado struck the Freeport Container Port killing three people and injuring several others. On the anniversary of this tragedy.

Through the Department of Labour, this government commissioned an International Labour Organization expert to investigate and suggest what preventative measures could have been taken.

The I.L.O specialist presented the report which I tabled here last year.



I am pleased to say that all recommendations have been acted upon and completed.

One such recommendation was that Labour Officers receive training in Maritime Port Inspection. Officers of the Department of Labour did receive the necessary training and now they are able to put protocols in place to further ensure the safety of workers at various posts.

When the Director of the International labour Organization, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia Henry visited the Freeport Container Port last

month while attending the BIMCATS Conference, she was impressed by the measures that had been put in place.

Madam President

It would be unfair for me to close this report without stating unequivocally how privileged I feel to work with the fine officers and staff of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development. Throughout the economic crisis these fine men and women gave their all to the service of their fellow Bahamians. I wish to tell all of them thank you for their service.

I now end as I had begun; A budget shows a government’s vision for the future through its allocation of funds and manpower The mid-year details a government’s actions. It explains how successful the government’s ventures were and the adjustment necessary to ensure their continuation.

Madam President

We look to a future filled with possibility and promise but we plan for, and act on the problems of today. This is the government’s commitment to the citizens of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

We look forward to a new beginning and a brand new Bahamas.

 Sponsored Ads