Member of Parliament George Pantophlet is wondering what happened to the over 100 questions that were submitted in written form to the Minister of Finance Mr. Hiro Shigemoto during the meeting on developments surrounding the 2011 Budget. The Member of Parliament is basing this on the fact that on Monday May 30, 2011 Parliament received a convocation for a central committee meeting to be convened on Monday June 6, 2011 to discuss amendments to the 2011 Budget.
In it was also stated that the Minister of Finance would like to have any questions submitted in writing. The Member of Parliament says he finds this ironic. In a discussion with the President of Parliament drs. Gracita Arrindell he made it plain to her that the answers to the questions posed by the National Alliance faction should have been received already. His faction had requested that the answers be submitted in writing. Unfortunately over one month after the meeting was adjourned the answers are still not forthcoming. And he suspects that the old political maneuvering is alive and well. It is quite obvious that the intention of the Minister of Finance is to give the answers on the day of the meeting. This is petty politics and belongs to the past. Furthermore the central committee meeting to discuss the amendments to the Budget of 2011 is scheduled for Monday June 6, 2011 and probably with the support of the majority of members of Parliament of the Democratic Party, United People party and Independent will probably schedule the public meeting on said Budget for the 10th or 11th of June. The reasoning behind this is that they don’t want this to interfere with trips abroad which are scheduled for sometime around the middle of June. The Member of Parliament said also that he will be requesting from the Minister of Finance Mr. Hiro Shigemoto copies of the 22 financial statements of government owned companies and foundations he claimed according to media reports to have sent to the CFT. And finally while he thanks Minister Theo Heyliger for the answers to his questions on the Harbor expansion, some of the answers need more clarity. So the Minister should expect more questions in the near future on this matter. It is said that there are plans to build a Hotel and a casino. It is all about transparency and accountability. Be clearer with your answers next time.