National Security Minister Emmanuel George says he hopes his ministry is allocated more than $5.5 billion in the September 9 budget. In an interview, after the opening of a human trafficking conference at the Police Training Academy, St James, yesterday, George said: “I look forward to getting, if not more, at least the same allocation we received for the past fiscal year.”
In the 2013 budget, the National Security Ministry was allocated $5.5 billion, its highest-ever allocation. In 2012 it was $5.1 billion; in 2011 $4.7 billion; 2010 it was $4.1 billion and in 2009 it was $4.7 billion. While speaking to reporters yesterday, George said the high allocation would enable his ministry to implement new anti-crime measures.
“One hopes the funding that is made available is able to allow the ministry to do the work necessary to keep crime at bay and to address all the other areas of the ministry that need addressing,” he added. He said some of the divisions of his ministry which required additional funding were Immigration Division, Cadet Forces and the Fire Services. However, George was careful to note that ministries did not always receive their desired allocations.
“We know that will not happen so when we get the amount that is allocated then we will know what we can accomplish during the fiscal period,” George said. He also dismissed allegations of mismanagement of finances in his ministry with special reference to the $6.5 million price tag for the wrecking of a fire tender which fell off a cliff in Blanchisseuse last year.
“Accidents will happen. I cannot guarantee there will be no wrecking of fire trucks or police vehicles or whatever,” he said. George, who was formerly a senior public servant, came to the defence of permanent secretaries. “Permanent secretaries, in whom the responsible of the ministry’s finances lie, don’t waste public funds. It is not part of their remit. “In fact there is always a drive to get value for money when money is expended,” George said.
When asked about Government’s latest crime plans, George said several initiatives were discussed at a meeting of the National Security Council last week. He said measures discussed dealt directly with a recent upsurge in murders and other serious crimes. “The measures are meant to suppress the crimes. You cannot eliminate them completely and we hope the measures will help to suppress crime,” George said.
Although he did not reveal details of the anti-crime measures, he said some were already implemented by the police while others will be instituted in a couple of weeks.