DAY two of consideration of the budgetary estimates came to an end Tuesday with the National Assembly approving a $582.4M allocation for the Ministry of Business.Subject Minister Dominic Gaskin though faced with a plethora of questions, was able to convince the House to approve his budget.
Questions from the Opposition PPP focused on the ministry’s current expenditure for Policy Development and Administration, and Business Development, Support and Promotion programmes.
Responding to the question of whether the number of contracted employees represents new employees or those who were previously employed in the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Minister Gaskin said there were no new employees, as they were all transferred from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.
On the question of allocation for maintenance of buildings and which one in particular, Gaskin explained that it had to do with the ministry’s head office on South Road, and the National Exhibition Centre in Sophia. He confirmed that his ministry’s headquarters was formerly occupied by the Tourism Ministry.
Minister Gaskin, in justifying an allocation of $11.6M for electricity charges when no such figure existed under that line item in the two previous years, explained that the quotation represents electricity charges for September to December 2015 for his ministry’s headquarters, and the National Exhibition Centre.
It was further explained that the estimates were based on the average rate being paid per month, and that the allocation of $12.8M for security services represents what will be paid for such services to both the headquarters and the National Exhibition Centre in Sophia.
The Ministry of Business recently began consultations to prepare a five-year strategic plan, and in keeping with this, has allocated $123M to agencies such as the National Bureau of Standards, GO-Invest, and the Small Business Bureau.
Of this amount, the Small Business Bureau will receive 20%, which is a direct provision of the Small Business Act, which was never implemented under the previous Administration. Additionally, 68% of the allocation will be directed to Go-Invest for the execution of its mandate. (GINA)