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Million dollar cell phone bill
THE Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has blasted the Government over the size of the cellphone bills of a number of its ministers, declaring that taxpayers can no longer “afford” the ruling People’s National Party.The Opposition took particular issue with bills for the cellphones assigned to junior minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Arnaldo Brown, and Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell as news emerged that they racked up sums of $1.09 million and $930,000, respectively over the course of 2013. Brown’s bill was nearly five times that of his senior, AJ Nicholson.
“These two ministers have cost the country over $2 million over a one-year period and we don’t see the value for money. It cannot be that every Jamaican is being taxed and forced to tighten their belts but the members of the Government are spending like we live in a first world country with oil,” JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang said in a release to the media.
“Jamaicans are realising that this Government only talks the talk but is unwilling to show the country that they are serious about accountability and probity.
The fact the minister of foreign affairs now has to investigate, shows that they are not managing state resources properly as monthly bills should have raised a red flag long before now,” Chang continued.
Other ministers who reportedly racked up high cellphone bills for the year include Environment and Climate Change Minister Robert Pickersgill, $791,000 and Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, $749,000.
On the contrary, bills for their Cabinet colleagues in Minister of National Security Peter Bunting, Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna amounted to less than $50,000 for the year while there was no bill for Justice Minister Mark Golding, given that he does not have a G o v e r n m e n t - a s s i g n e d cellphone. Yesterday, Dr Chang argued that the revelation concerning the high cellphone bills may just the tip of the iceberg.
“We know that they are spending much more on cellphones. We also know this is just a tip of the iceberg as the PNP is not known for saving money.
They are a spending government who spend on themselves and creature comforts while people suffer,” he said, citing the $4 million spent to hire a private jet over a week ago to transport home Trinidad Muslim leader Yasin Bakr, the more than $60 million spent on acquiring SUVs for ministers while raising taxes.
“They do not know how to run a country, they lack leadership, they have no conscience and Jamaicans are waiting on the day when they will be voted out,” Chang said.
Earlier in the day, Opposition Spokesman on Science, ICT & Digital Society Development, Dr Andrew Wheatley called on the Government ministers to use modern technology to cut down on the bills.
“This phone bill scandal is another example of poor governance, misplaced priorities on the part of the government, and the extent to which this PNP Administration is out of touch with the people and their everyday realities.
What is even more concerning is the inexcusably high phone bill of the minister of technology.
He should be setting the example by using available technology platforms and services like VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to reduce his communications costs,” he argued.
“Now is clearly a good time for the minister to restate the Government’s policy on the use of such technologies and services in light of the current VoIP block impasse. In fact, he should be actively championing greater use of VoIP services like Skype or Viber as a means of reducing the cost of communication within Government,” he added
“These two ministers have cost the country over $2 million over a one-year period and we don’t see the value for money. It cannot be that every Jamaican is being taxed and forced to tighten their belts but the members of the Government are spending like we live in a first world country with oil,” JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang said in a release to the media.
“Jamaicans are realising that this Government only talks the talk but is unwilling to show the country that they are serious about accountability and probity.
The fact the minister of foreign affairs now has to investigate, shows that they are not managing state resources properly as monthly bills should have raised a red flag long before now,” Chang continued.
Other ministers who reportedly racked up high cellphone bills for the year include Environment and Climate Change Minister Robert Pickersgill, $791,000 and Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, $749,000.
On the contrary, bills for their Cabinet colleagues in Minister of National Security Peter Bunting, Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna amounted to less than $50,000 for the year while there was no bill for Justice Minister Mark Golding, given that he does not have a G o v e r n m e n t - a s s i g n e d cellphone. Yesterday, Dr Chang argued that the revelation concerning the high cellphone bills may just the tip of the iceberg.
“We know that they are spending much more on cellphones. We also know this is just a tip of the iceberg as the PNP is not known for saving money.
They are a spending government who spend on themselves and creature comforts while people suffer,” he said, citing the $4 million spent to hire a private jet over a week ago to transport home Trinidad Muslim leader Yasin Bakr, the more than $60 million spent on acquiring SUVs for ministers while raising taxes.
“They do not know how to run a country, they lack leadership, they have no conscience and Jamaicans are waiting on the day when they will be voted out,” Chang said.
Earlier in the day, Opposition Spokesman on Science, ICT & Digital Society Development, Dr Andrew Wheatley called on the Government ministers to use modern technology to cut down on the bills.
“This phone bill scandal is another example of poor governance, misplaced priorities on the part of the government, and the extent to which this PNP Administration is out of touch with the people and their everyday realities.
What is even more concerning is the inexcusably high phone bill of the minister of technology.
He should be setting the example by using available technology platforms and services like VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to reduce his communications costs,” he argued.
“Now is clearly a good time for the minister to restate the Government’s policy on the use of such technologies and services in light of the current VoIP block impasse. In fact, he should be actively championing greater use of VoIP services like Skype or Viber as a means of reducing the cost of communication within Government,” he added
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