FROM THE DESK OF UNCLE “LL BOZO”
MISCHIEF MAKING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Audio Recording Transcribed
The below is a transcribed version of an audio Recording Uncle put out recently.
“Since the onset of the Covid19 pandemic, the government of Dominica has received from multi-lateral aid institutions over 150 million dollars for Dominica’s health care and economic stabilization response. The intention of these institutions and the legitimate expectations of the people of Dominica is that these funds would be spent on;
Emergency health care requirements to ensure a strong well prepared, properly resourced health system for covid19 in terms of prevention, detection and rapid response capability, additional hospital capacity, availability of necessary medications, supplies and equipment, including testing equipment and ventilators and adequate provisions for the protection of frontline health care workers.
Relief recovery and economic stimulation to ensure income support for displaced and unemployed workers, cash transfers to vulnerable families, support for vulnerable sectors and supply chain and business continuity support for the private sector.
Up to June 30th 2021, the end of the financial year 2020-2021, the government received soft loans from the IDA of the World Bank (86 million dollars); soft loans from the OPEC fund (27 million dollars); a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (6.7 million dollars) and a grant from the IMF Rapid Credit Facility (38 million dollars. A total of One hundred and fifty-seven million (157.7 million dollars).
Now in addition to these cash amounts, the government has received significant contributions of vaccines. medical supplies and equipment and personnel protective equipment from friendly governments and donor organizations.
The government revenue and expenditure accounts approved by parliament indicate total covid19 emergency response spending of 2.1 million dollars in 2019-2020 and 7.4 million dollars in 2020-2021, a total of 7.5 million dollars. (9.5).
The Covid 19 emergency response spending for 2021-2022 is budgeted at 1.6 million dollars. If we take the actual of previous years and you add in the budget of this current year, that’s 9.1 million dollars (11.1) of Covid19 emergency response spending confirmed in the budget process to date.
The government announced last year a 15.7 million dollar transfer to Social Security as income support for affected employees and a 5 million dollars transfer to the Aid Bank to provide loans to affected small businesses. That is a total of 20.7 million dollars. And when you add that to what the budget has indicated we have spent and will spend the 9.1 (11.1) million dollars, (20.7 million dollars plus 9.1 (11.1) million dollars), that is 29.8 (31.8) million dollars.
So total covid19 emergency response revenue of 157.7 million dollars, less total covid19 emergency response expenditure of 29.8 (31.8) million dollars, leaves a balance of 127.9 million dollars. 127.9 (125.9) million dollars.
So! The people of Dominica, to whom this money belongs, and especially those who have suffered and continue to suffer loss as a result of the measures taken by the government to fight the coronavirus but have received no relief or economic stimulus have a right to know, what exactly has the government used these funds for. And don’t forget the over 4 billion dollars belonging to the people of Dominica from the sale of Dominican citizenship being held overseas under the private control of friends of the PM.
Why is the government claiming to be broke and refusing to provide from the people’s own funds, a proper relief and economic stimulus package of assistance to the struggling, suffering people of Dominica at this time”.
End of Audio Recording.
Note: Here is the mischief.
An objective analysis of the statement and allegations.
Is it correct to say that all of the funds mentioned were meant for Dominica’s covid19 management program? Is this gentleman correct? Judging from past utterances on the government's finances by this gentleman, he most certainly is misrepresenting the information. Then again, he always say, it's his opinion.
Has the government received All the money – 157.7 million dollars (World Bank, IMF OPEC, CDB) in the Treasury?
If not all, how much has the government received in the treasury? He does not say.
What were the conditions for releasing the money to Dominica even after approval and signing of the contract? Does he know? Is he concerned to know?
The world knows that these institutions even after having approved of the funds have never, ever release all of the funds in one transfer tranche. It has always been on a phased basis to the recipient country in most instances after having satisfactorily met the set benchmarks for use of the funds. And he knows that. Indeed, following the signing of contracts/agreements, there are always other benchmarks to be satisfied.
What are they? Is he responsible enough to find out before sp along so out of turn?
This is pure mischief.
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