Opposition lawmaker Daniel Cummings says that the government has not processed the income support applications of opposition supporters affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
“The minister said yesterday that 80% or so of those who have applied for the 300 or $200 a month have been successful. And then he said some are waiting to have additional information supplied and some have been rejected,” Cummings said on his New Democratic Party’s radio programme on Tuesday.
“I can tell him of another category. I can tell him of substantial numbers in another category: people whose applications have not been processed because they’re perceived to be NDP. I can give him the information of the dozens from my own constituency who fall into that category,” said Cummings, who represents West Kingstown in Parliament.
“And that is why you don’t want to have a debate on the stimulus package implementation,” he said, referring a motion that the opposition had tabled for debate in Parliament on Monday.
The motion did not come up for debate as 5 p.m. came before that item on the order paper.
“That is why they ‘fraid it like how the devil ‘fraid holy water. They know they’re using the state resources as a campaign tool to try and bribe people for this election,” Cummings said.
“They know that only people whose politics is perceived to be a particular kind can qualify to get assistance. And that is what must not happen. That is why they cannot see the suffering of the poor people.
Cummings commented on the Promoting Youth Micro Enterprises (PRYME) under which the government is giving grants of up to EC$40,000 to start-ups.
“My colleague from North Leeward, in an effort to assist the people from that constituency, told them about the programme and invited them to come to his office so that you can help them fill the form in order to qualify, to get the assistance.
“People on the other side took him to task. They say what do you in that, that is a ULP thing,” Cummings said.
He added:
“Listen to me. This is not ULP money. This is the state’s resources. They tore him to pieces for encouraging people to apply. In other words, stay out of this. This is only a red thing. There’s no room for anybody who isn’t red in it. That is how they’re administering the COVID relief,” Cummings said.
Could we have expected anything differently from this nepotistic bunch? The mango never falls far from the tree! And so it is, a rose is a rose no matter what colour it is. Change the name but it is still the same. A Rose! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVduvFUzfSk Change the region or the country but the behaviour will always remain exactly the same! As nepotism and cronyism follows them.
And here is another thing! https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=+guru+and+socialism such is human nature! Some Vincentians are just indeed much more equal than others, thus government resources will always be distributed accordingly. A shame for such a small country.
Another indictment, We want our country back. Five months before the election like they emptying the treasury because they know they are going to lose the vote and want to leave the nation broke. more broke.
Good governance is one that serves all citizens regardless of their political preference, , to provide leadership that makes everybody prosper and leadership that will follow the rules of law. When these are absent, that’s bad, evil, wicked governance. As was said that some people will suffer and die, seems to becoming reality. Time alone will tell.