While after seeming to concede to the fact that he has failed at his role as Minister of  Education, Science and Technology, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) member of Parliament, Jerome Fitzgerald now sees it fit to defend Golden Isles member of Parliament and Minister of State for Finance; Michael Halkitis on his alternate factual accounting of how the revenue collected from Value-Added Tax (VAT) has been spent.

“Fitzgerald: We’ve done all we can to end school violence’ – The Tribune 31^st January 2017

Excerpt from this article; “Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald yesterday said the onus for recent violent incidents at school campuses must fall on the wider society, further lamenting that officials have done all that can to end school violence.

Mr. Fitzgerald in his first public comments on violent crimes at school campuses since the stabbing incident at the Government High School campus earlier this month which left one teen in critical condition and two others with injuries, said the presence of police and heightened security forces have dramatically ‘cut down’ incidents but the core issue spurring these matter had to be addressed in the community.”

First, the good minister has to quantify just how he has determined that the presence of police and security forces have dramatically ‘cut down; [these] incident and is he really saying that the problem is much bigger that we realize and knowing how serious it really is and has as in the Rubis matter, decided to sit back and do nothing?

  While it would seem that minister Fitzgerald is conceding that the programs that his government have implemented after the Progressive Liberal Party promised to have the answers because the Free National Movement (FNM) was unable to protect our ‘little darlin’s’; he now seeks to step away from this confession of his very own failing and thrown his body in front of Michael Halkitis, to protect him from the stones that have been directed his way after the semi-factual but highly entertaining accounting for the revenue collected from VAT.

“Fitzgerald defends Halkitis” – The Nassau Guardian 2^nd February 2017

Excerpt from this article’ “Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald and members of the Opposition clashed in Parliament yesterday as Fitzgerald defended Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis over the recent explanation of the governments use of value-added tax revenue.

Fitzgerald says he felt compelled to address what he called misinformation about VAT spending and the ‘intellectual dishonesty’ of the opposition and the media on the matter, which he stress was simple.

First off, let be point out my amazement, Minister Fitzgerald, at your stealth to defend Michael Halkitis but your lack of stealth to protect the people in your very own community, simply shameful.  And while throwing in the towel over the growing incidents of school violence, you see nothing wrong with you stepping in to defend the defenseless; my brother you have your own problems.

So Minister if it were so simple why couldn’t Minister Halkitis break it down and explain it to the public; he has the requisite skill set to do so, unless….so since the Minister of State for Finance was unable to explain where the VAT money was going we will allow the failed Minister of Education, Science and Technology take a crack at it; “He noted that last June, the government laid out its budget. Indicating that VAT revenue accounted for 25 percent of the government revenue: “$625 million, 25 percent”

“That ain’t rocket science,” he said.”

“It is laid out in the debate.”

“Twenty five cents out of every dollar the government spends come from BAT.

“I mean, what’s so hard about that?

“A grade one student could understand it.”

So since it was pointed out that Minister Fitzgerald does not include finance matter maybe we can also allow another person without a financial background explain it the way that they understand it, since the Minister of State for Finance failed at explaining it.

“The reality is if his [Fitzgerald] numbers are correct, that mean the treasury is collecting at least $2.4 billion a year. Which means we should be operating a surplus and not a deficit, which means then, the budget what we came here to debate, which says they expect to collect $1.9 billion, if off by some $500 million, according to his poor math,” Rollins said”

Hold on 25 percent of government revenue is $652 million, so the total revenue is four times this amount which is $6.08 billion; so hold on Fitzgerald came to the rescue of his parliamentary colleague and seems to have failed even at this and now it seems that he and his government look even more suspect after claiming that they money collected went to pay for initiatives that it has been proven that the government borrowed money for?   

These kinds of friends you really do not need.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END