Enill: Govt does not have unlimited power

Enill noted that there has been a plethora of criticisms about the Government’s ability to deliver on key projects that would redound to the population’s benefit, and the belief that Government’s powers have no boundaries. He said the reality is that Government ministers outline the policy and the implementation lies with the Public Service.

However, Enill said the nation’s Public Service is essentially a system which has outlived its usefulness and it has to be reformed to meet the changing needs of the population. The minister added that this was not an attack on the Public Service but a statement of fact, and there were many public servants who individually perform their jobs with exceptional competence, going above and beyond the call of duty.

Earlier in the debate, Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith said the UNC was being hypocritical about Government’s creation of limited liability companies to assist in the delivery of key public sector projects, when it abused certain State enterprises while in office and even had the help of UNC financier (now UNC deputy political leader) Jack Warner to execute other projects.

Enill also said contrary to the views being expressed from some quarters, Government was confident that the citizens would not spend all of the additional monies which they would now be receiving by way of enhanced personal allowances in the Budget. He said just as the population did "the right thing" in voting the PNM into office in 2002, he had no doubt that they would do so on this occasion and invest their monies properly.