The Prime Minister gets a thumbs up from one economist for promising to cut unnecessary rentals and monies spent on private security for board members and their families and persons receiving TTPS security.
00:00In a bulletin sent out by the UNC titled Kamler Cuts More Waste, it was announced that more cuts are planned for government spending.
00:10The bulletin cited no more wasteful advertising.
00:14The Express on Tuesday reported the directive to cut government advertising, though the publishers and Broadcasters Association reported the spend by government in traditional media had declined over the past few years by some 40 to 70 percent.
00:30The bulletin also speaks to no more million dollar rentals.
00:35Prime Minister Kamler Passat-Bissassa tells TV6, quote, rentals are not limited to administrative offices and buildings.
00:42It also includes housing, vehicles, equipment and some services.
00:47So when you see cut in rentals, it just means that the excessive and unnecessary expenses will be cut, end quote.
00:56But yes, the UNC government is also considering not renewing certain agreements when they reach their contractual end.
01:04Passat-Bissassa says, quote, I have also mandated the Minister of Public Administration to provide a comprehensive listing of all building rentals, the owners, the rates, the dates for recommencement of renewals and the total amounts paid in the last 10 years, end quote.
01:21The UNC Bulletin also indicated the intention to cut unnecessary security details.
01:29Prime Minister Passat-Bissassa says her ministries have been mandated to provide information on state-funded security services being provided to individuals.
01:38She tells TV6, quote, we have state enterprises spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on private security for board members and executives and in some cases their families.
01:51We are reviewing all information and will make the necessary adjustments.
01:55Also, I have requested a report from the Minister of Homeland Security regarding the persons receiving TTPs security.
02:04This will also be addressed as TTPs members, vehicles and equipment should be directed to the crime fight and not be abused for unnecessary security details, end quote.
02:15And because it's the taxpayers' monies and the taxpayers should know where their money is being spent, Passat-Bissassa indicates her intention to make that list public.
02:27Economist Dr. Valmiki Arjan calls these measures a smart move as he says the cuts are easy to accomplish.
02:34It shows that the government, in my view, is willing to trim its own discretionary spending first.
02:40And these are all quick to implement cuts.
02:44And they also signal to the rating agencies that the state is prepared to rein in spending and avoid needless borrowing for non-essential outlays.
02:55And at the same time, these are not harsh expenditure cutting measures and therefore will not affect vulnerable households.
03:03Plus, they also buy time to design deeper structural reforms.
03:07Arjan says these measures will not widen the fiscal deficit.
03:13These cuts can free hundreds of millions of dollars that can be redirected to priority outlays like social protection, health care maintenance, other types of physical infrastructure upgrades.
03:26Also ensuring that scarce public funds do the greatest good at a moment of shrinking revenues.
03:32Other low-impact savings, he suggests, are curbing state official travel, hospitality costs for government and state officials, tightening procurement leakages, and implementing the integrated financial management system, which will help track real-time spending across all government agencies.
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