‘Puerile’ Imbert playing games

COUVA North MP Ramona Ramdial yesterday described Finance Minister Colm Imbert as “puerile” during the meeting of the Standing Finance Committee in Parliament. She made the comment as the committee reviewed the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government.

Ramdial asked Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein about the 2019 revised estimate for Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, which showed an allocation of $27 million for goods and services, a reduction from the $37 million originally estimated. She asked the reason for the $8 million decrease.

Hosein said Imbert had previously answered the question, and then Imbert asked which page Ramdial was referring to. “Page 313, I just said it,” Ramdial shot back. Government members then “oohed” and commented, “Watch she gold chain.”

Imbert said he was seeing an increase of $8.2 million in the 2020 estimates. Ramdial said she was speaking about the 2019 revised estimates.

Imbert: I am speaking about the 2020 estimates.

Ramdial: So I am not allowed to ask about the 2019 revised estimate?

Imbert: Am I not allowed to speak about the 2020 estimate?

Ramdial: I don’t understand these games. The minister is being very puerile!

A hurt-looking Imbert protested to the chair that it was the 2020 budget and not the 2019 budget and Ramdial said, “Last year was the same problem.” Imbert said: “But eh-eh.”

Chair Bridgid Annisette-George told Imbert that while 2020 was being concentrated on, she would allow the question in case it was a lead-up. One government member said: “Is not a lead-up. She put on a gold chain and now she bad.” Ramdial shot back, “You know Burkie, why you don’t ask that?”

Imbert said the difference between the original estimate for 2019 and the revised figure would have been due to a multitude of reasons, including lack of requests and bad paperwork.