So I’m told by a very reliable source!!

This makes sense as they are offering up their manefesto today, which would have a very hollow ring to it if we didn’t have any facts to support the basis for their plan.

Notwithstanding the reliability of my source, I ain’t gonna hold my breath….

JOKERS!!

……and who does the Financial Secretary report to? Do you really think Paula Cox knows nothing about this?!

Given that:

1. Government’s finances (solvency) have been very poor/suspect;
2. The Minister of Finance is Govermnent’s senior financial officer who apparently supports good governance and transparency;
3. The Minister of Finance is also the Premier/Government Leader; and
4. We are less than 2 weeks from a General Election……

…….do you not think something from the Minister of Finance is appropriate?

…..and who does the Financial Secretary report to? Do you really think Paula Cox knows nothing about this?!

Given that:

1. Government’s finances (solvency) have been very poor/suspect;
2. The Minister of Finance is Govermnent’s senior financial officer who apparently supports good governance and transparency;
4. The Minister of Finance is also the Premier/Government Leader; and
2. We are less than 2 weeks from a General Election….

do you not think something from the Minister of Finance is appropriate?

I do not know why administrative leave is appropriate in this case and it is unfair to speculate. However, in a developed democracy where good governance and transparency are exercised, the public has a right to know and our leaders should be explaining what is happening here. After all, the Accountant General is the public’s accountant, not the governing party’s accountant.

Guvmint is always VERY SLOW to act on anything internally due to fear of BPSU and news getting into media, this means they already have their EVIDENCE to be bold enough to put someone on leave

Guvmint moves slow so this is deliberate and thought out

Bye bye birdie

there is always Wedco, Bldc, EEZ as alternatives for employment we gotta take care of peoples

I doubt she will provide either any answers or the numbers as they are no doubt too damning….what other logical explanation can there be??

A reasonable scenario could be that the Acct Gen wanted to comply with the programme and release the figures but was sent home instead, but of course, we cannot know because they will not comment!

“No comment”

The point is that she has not gone on vacation, she has been put on Administrative Leave, a huge difference.

No contact with office or employees, no email access and has to hand in her government blackberry, PC etc, while a formal investigation is undertaken….thats not a vacation.

We now learn that the Accountant General has been placed on administrative leave. Let me be clear, the accountant General is the _chief financial officer_ for government, overseeing a budget in excess of one billion dollars.

This is an unprecedented situation before an election in Bermuda.

The premier must answer a few basic questions, in addition to the questions asked by Ms. Zuill:

Does the ministry have an accurate accounting of our current budget position?

If the answer is no, has the Premier made promises in the Throne Speech with no grounding in the current budget numbers?

If the answer is yes, when will the government fulfill its open budgeting pledges and release the numbers?

I have re-posted the questions I asked three weeks ago, but I direct them now at the premier / Minister of Finance.
—
:: andrewwrsimons :: November 15, 2012 3:32 pm

Madame Premier,
On December 12th 2011you released the Pre-Budget Report in advance of Fiscal Year 2012/13, you said:
“I rise today to give a Ministerial Statement to highlight the Government’s Pre-Budget Report which will be released to the public today.
…
Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that this open budget process not only transforms lives, but also transforms the conversation. The Government hopes that through the open budget process, our citizens will have a better understanding of the choices that our country faces. A better understanding of these choices, by policymakers and citizens alike, will raise the level of debate and lead to better, more informed decisions.”
(http://www.parliament.bm/uploadedFiles/Content/House_Business/Statements_by_Honourable_Members_and_Ministers_of_the_Cabinet/MS%20for%20Pre-Budget%20Report%20-%20Final.pdf)

During the budget debate in the House of Assembly on 16 March 2012, you said:

“The Government is committing to release more comprehensive quarterly reports of revenue and expenditure. Also, there is to be a mid-year review. We do not currently issue a mid-year review, but we are committing to releasing a mid-year review in this next fiscal year.”

(http://www.parliament.bm/uploadedFiles/Content/Hansard/House_of_Assembly/Hansard_by_Session_Date/OHR%2017th%20Sitting%20of%20the%202011-12%20Session%2016%20March%202012%20pp%201561-1654.pdf)

Madame Premier, as the former Minister for Finance, could you answer the following three questions:

1. When will the government release the promised “mid-term review”?

2. When will the government release the annual Pre-Budget Report?

You released the Pre-Budget Report on the 12th of December last year. We have an election on December 17th this year. Could the government release the report earlier so we can, in your words, “have a better understanding of the choices that our country faces”? Again, as you said “A better understanding of these choices, by policymakers and citizens alike, will raise the level of debate and lead to better, more informed decisions.”

3. At a minimum, could you tell us if we are on track to meet the budget estimates published in March?

Note that the pre-budget report identified three scenarios for the Island’s economy. The optimistic scenario (average revenue growth of 4.5% through 2015-16), the pessimistic scenario (revenue contraction and slow recovery averaging no growth through 2015-16) and the middle scenario (average revenue growth of 2.75% through 2015-16).

As the leader of our current government, you have access to these important figures. With less than two weeks to go before Bermudians make an important choice, please stop speaking in the abstract about “fairy-tales” and dark plots. Share the official numbers and we can transform the conversation.

Andrew Simons
One Bermuda Alliance candidate for Pembroke Central, constituency #17
https://www.facebook.com/AndrewSimonsForPembrokeCentral