Tweet

The new PM Drew Administration is coming under widespread condemnation as citizens and residents express their gross displeasure with the new administrations frequent travels since getting into office on August 5th.

The Drew Admin has been in Office some 100 days or 3 months and just a cursory look at the travels of the Cabinet of Ministers shows:

· Hon. Samal Duggins has been to Trinidad, New York , Antigua and Costa Rica .

· Hon. Joyelle Clarke has already been to the Bahamas, Taiwan, New York and Antigua, South Korea, Taiwan, Bahamas 2x, scheduled to visit Egypt.

· Hon Konris Maynard has already been to New York, Romania, scheduled to visit Egypt for COP 27 and has already been to the Bahamas 2x.

· Hon. Marsha Henderson has already been to New York, Dominican Republic and Miami 2x

· Hon. Denzil Douglas has already been to the United Kingdom, Barbados, New York, Peru, Washington,DC and Taiwan

· Isalean Phillip has already been to Switzerland and Taiwan

· Dr. Terrance Drew has already been to New York, Barbados, Monsterrat and Taiwan.

· Hon. Garth Wilkin has already been to Barbados

· Hon. Geoffrey Hanley- Guyana

All of this travelling in the first 100 days of office alone of the new Drew Administration has raised concerns by many citizens and residents who have used both social and traditional media to express their outright displeasure and condemnation. Many see the frequent travels as unnecessary especially with the recent drop in number of citizens and residents who were being assisted by government through the various social programmes including PAP and the PEACE Programme both of which have seen a dramatic cut in the numbers of persons who were assisted through these initiatives.

Well known Historian and Former Educator Mrs Jacqueline Armony took to social media and expressed her deep concern regarding the inordinate number of overseas trips of the new administration . She said “I am concerned! Since the installation of the new government just over three months ago there seems to have been an inordinate number of overseas trips the new administration is taking! Why the large number of people traveling at this critical time when the new government should be consolidating its positions in the various ministries and learning the ‘ ropes’ so to speak especially as the majority of them are new to the job? And the money being spent! On one hand you hear from the new PM of a ‘financial deficit’ in the various

public institutions he has inherited although the former PM, an economist in

his own right, speaks to the millions he left in the Treasury! I think it

heartening the number of young people at the head of government but I’m worried

that not enough attention if being placed on ‘running the Country’ and getting the work of the People done!”

The general sentiment of citizens has been that the new administration seemed to be more concerned with overseas travel and racking up per diems’ and frequent flyer miles instead of focusing on ministry and civil servant relations to ensure that the effective running of the country under the previous administration continues effectively and efficiently.

There has been unconfirmed reports that the PM Drew trip to the UN including his massive entourage cost tax payers over $300,000. It is also been widely speculated but not confirmed that the SKN Labour Government-sponsored Independence Banquet carried an over US$ 1 million price tag. It is widely rumoured that Total expenses in travel alone for Cabinet Ministers has clocked over $ 5 million in the first 100 days.

The concern is not only the high frequency of travel but also the large delegation and its composition . There has been little if any tangible benefits to the Federation from these massively expensive trips abroad.

The concern is not only the high frequency of travel but also the large delegation and its composition . There has been little if any tangible benefits to the Federation from these expensive trips abroad.

At this rate the new administration would’ve significantly turned back or reversed the significant fiscal gains made by the country over the last 7 years as a result of the much lauded fiscal and prudent management of the Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris led administration