‘Red eye’ Montano storms out Senate

Minister of Planning and Development Camille Robinson-Regis has disclosed that a total of  $2.3 million has so far been spent on Government’s Vision 2020. She said Government’s input has been $1.26 million while the UNDP, partner in the initiative, has spent $1.76 million.

The Minister was responding to a question yesterday in the Senate by Opposition Senator Robin Montano. Opposition Senator Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan wanted to know, “With  $3 million already spent, what benchmarks were achieved?” Robinson-Regis insisted $3 million had not been spent — the figure was $2.3 million. The Minister said that no benchmarks had as yet been attained and explained that they would be revealed at the end of the first quarter of next year when the Vision 2020 committee reports to Cabinet. The Minister gave a breakdown of the costs, which included $33,625 for the initial launch, the launch in Trinidad at $146,986 and the Tobago launch at $214,966. She said sums paid for advertisements would be included in those costs.

The Minister said no member of the committee received stipends for their work. Earlier, the minister’s response forced Montano to leave the Chamber. He had objected on several occasions to the “lengthy” response and was not satisfied that Senate President Linda Baboolal had ruled to allow the Minister to lay the groundwork. Before Montano stormed out, Baboolal had asked that Robinson-Regis get to the point. But in an ironic gesture, Opposition Leader in the Upper House, Wade Mark, moved a motion to suspend the standing orders to allow the minister to “get adequate time to answer.”