“Don’t be Ungrateful” advises the Premier as Budget Communication delivered

Those were the comments from Premier Washington Misick on Tuesday, following a fiery and defensive Budget Communication delivered by E. Jay Saunders, his Finance and Investment Minister.

In speaking with co-hosts, Cheryl Ann Forman, Zhavargo Jolly and Drexwell Seymour during First Edition, a post show presentation which highlighted the opening day of the Budget Debate, Premier Misick supported the fiscal outline and acknowledged rising living costs.  Decidedly, he would urge residents to show gratitude when he got his say on the largest TCI budget in history; it stands at $424.1 Million following review last week by the Appropriations Committee.

“A basket of food is more expensive, building materials are more expensive, everything has increased, we have to find a way to make sure that the most vulnerable don’t fall through the cracks,” the country leader continued, “But I do think affordability will always be an issue and I think our people have so much to be grateful for.”

When questioned on how the small man would see the tangible benefit in this large sum, the Premier’s response was not overly empathetic to the cost of living crises affecting residents.

“What I would say is that God has been faithful to us, if you look around, over a billion people are living in poverty.”

He continued: “There’s so much to be grateful for and if you look at the history of this government and the sort of support that families and individuals are given and the level of infrastructure investment that we are making, one has to look at it across the entire chain of islands rather than what is being done for my particular neighbourhood.”

The comments came at a time when residents of the TCI say local costs are exponential. Misick maintained that the Minister of Finance had ‘done a fantastic job’ in detailing the increases that would get to the Turks and Caicos Islanders via the $424 million budget.

At the same time, he acknowledged that the people he represents are paying much more without equal earning power putting strain on the Citizens’ Contract signed by his government, but again urged gratitude.

“Yes, I understand that a dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to go and yes there is pressure on the social contract that we signed with people for the same reason that a dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to go even two years ago. The Government is trying to make a difference by subsidising certain basic food items and other normal living expenditures.”

Misick also responded to what he described as mischief-making from the Leader of the Opposition who had said there was not much in the National Budget for “the people.”

“I know he’s wrong,” said the premier.

He continued to warn residents against complaining too much, balancing their lives with the situation internationally.

“This is an issue globally where the cost of living is increasing faster than the growth again, because of inflation, largely caused by global conflicts and initially initiated by the pandemic.”

Locally, inflation reached 38 percent in the last financial year. Government under-spent by nearly $50 million and recorded an astounding surplus, announced by Finance Minister Saunders as $73 Million dollars.