Minister Devant Maharaj, how do you justify a ministry Carnival fete in a time of spending cuts?
The Government has adjusted the national budget and pledged to cut spending in light of low oil prices.
However, on Friday, February 6, the Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Resources threw a Carnival fete at the head office in St Clair.
How was this paid for? How do you justify allocating funds for a DJ, decorations, bar and food when many people struggle to access decent, affordable food? (I sincerely hope that we, the taxpayers, did not fund this total waste of money.)
If sponsorship was received, surely such contributions should have been directed towards enhancing food security programmes such as setting up school gardens, funding agricultural micro-enterprises or feeding the elderly instead of paying for a staff party.
If the Carnival fete was intended as a staff reward/motivator, why not use performance-based pay instead? That way, the staff at the Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Resources have a chance to receive meaningful and measured rewards in line with their efforts.
I look forward to your response.
Lara Quentrall-Thomas,
Taxpayer and citizen