Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/6595/-1/140/
|
Baird Again Asks For Airport Expenditure
|
In the Anguilla House of Assembly on Tuesday this week, Opposition Member, Edison Baird, repeated a question he had put to Minister of Finance, Victor Banks, in August last year, regarding the expenditure on the Wallblake Airport Expansion Project.
|
|
Hon. Edison Baird
|
|
|
Hon. Victor Banks
|
He recalled that the Minister had promised him a reply in the House within one month. “Several months have now gone and I have not received an answer to the question,” Baird complained to Speaker David Carty. He said that fair information to members of the Assembly was “a critical element of the need to have openness, transparency and accountability in Government.”
Mr. Baird went on: “We on this side of the House desperately need that information regarding the expenditure in relation to the Airport Expansion Project. I have received many calls from various sections of the island inquiring as to why I have not gotten that information and Mr. Speaker I am at a loss as to what to tell them.” He enlisted the Speaker’s support in getting the necessary information.
Mr. Carty noted that while the question was not on the Order Paper, Mr. Baird had made the request some months ago and asked the Minister of Finance for a brief explanation.
Mr. Banks acknowledged that he had been able to get all the required information as a number of agencies had been involved and various matters regarding the project still had to be addressed. He said half of the information was collected but there was some difficulty in presenting it at that time. He apologised for the absence of all the information and promised to provide it later, but not within a particular period taking into account the time involved in its collection.
Mr. Baird said he wanted the information as it related to the building of houses for a number of persons who had to be re-located by Government to facilitate the expansion of the airport.