By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis defended the opposition’s decision to vote “no” on the government’s 2014/2015 budget branding it an “assault on democracy” and a “secretive, disorganised mess”.

Although he had initially indicated to the media that he would break ranks and support the government’s budget when it came to a vote, FNM MP for Central and South Abaco Edison Key was not present when the issue came to a vote.

The budget for the 2014/2015 fiscal year was passed in the House of Assembly on Thursday with 24 Members of parliament from the governing side voting yes, six nays from the opposition and seven absentees.

Dr Minnis said that Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn was also not present for the vote.

Mr Key told The Tribune he had a previous engagement on Moore’s Island which is why he was not in the House of Assembly for the vote.

“No I didn’t vote on the budget, I came to Abaco because I had a commitment with one of the ministers to go to Moore’s Island for the high school graduation the next morning at 8.45. I left early and I didn’t vote,” he said yesterday.

Despite his absence, Mr Key said his position on the budget had not changed.

“I told him (Dr Minnis) that I was not voting against the budget because I cannot support a vote against the budget that’s providing the funds to pay the civil servants and all the government entities. I had already committed myself to be at Moore’s Island for the graduation, I didn’t think it was that necessary for me to be there (in the House.)”

Last week Mr Key told The Tribune he would not support the FNM’s decision to vote against the 2014/2015 budget.

He said rejecting the budget would send a negative message to his Abaco constituents and the 30,000 civil servants who deserve their salaries.

Dr Minnis notified the House during his budget contribution that the FNM would vote “no” on the budget because it hides salary and allowance figures of anyone on the public payroll.

In a press statement released over the weekend, Dr Minnis said the time has come to draw a hard line in the sand and declare to the Christie government “this far, but no further”.

“Since their return to office the Christie government has demonstrated their commitment to rolling back many of the sweeping progressive reforms in governance and fiscal management instituted by the FNM in our 15 years of governance. We could not sit idly by and permit that to happen. The annual budget communication and its related bills is one of the most important documents that a government sets before Parliament. They should be clear and well presented expressions of government’s priorities. In exercising its authority parliament is entitled to receive a comprehensive account of the budget,” he said.

“By definition, meeting this requirement requires the government to present Parliament with details. As a law making body whose actions can move markets and impact the overall direction of the entire economy, Parliament is not the place to for ‘crib sheets’. Parliament is where all of the relevant details should be presented to ensure that we exercise our powers based on complete and accurate information. In that regard it is important for the Bahamian people to understand that this government has failed in its fundamental duty.

“With this budget, we have arrived at the point where it is imperative that Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition draws a hard line with respect to whether we will in any way give legitimacy to the secretive, unaccountable, undisciplined, unfocused and disorganized manner in which the national budget is presented. This budget is simply a mess and we could not in good conscience go along with it as if nothing is wrong. Enough is enough. The only appropriate course of action open to us was to vote no.”

Dr Minnis said the opposition also voted no to increasing taxation of Bahamians who are already suffering. He thanked his opposition colleagues for standing with him. Dr Minnis said there are some who may not understand this “significant step” but he is satisfied that “we are standing on the right side of history.”