Prime Minister Godwin Friday has dismissed criticisms raised by Opposition Senator Keisal Peters during the recent debate on the estimates, saying her comments showed a lack of familiarity with the document and failed to reflect the overall direction of government policy.
Speaking after the exchange, Friday said Peters “clearly didn’t read the estimates very carefully,” adding that at one point he wondered which part of the document she actually reviewed. He suggested that her remarks bore little resemblance to what was contained in the estimates themselves.
The Prime Minister described her approach to questioning the budget as scattershot, accusing her of selecting isolated items rather than examining the document as a whole. He further claimed that Peters and Senator James appeared to have rehearsed their contributions, particularly their shared assertion that the estimates showed no clear direction for development.
Addressing concerns raised about the fiscal deficit, Friday said the opposition senator focused heavily on the current financial position while ignoring how it came about. He argued that the administration inherited a difficult situation from the previous government, of which Peters was a member, and accused that government of excessive spending during an election year. According to Friday, that period of spending contributed to the high debt-to-GDP ratio the current administration is now working to manage.
On the Citizenship by Investment programme, the Prime Minister said Peters spoke as though she had originated the initiative. He responded to her expressed disappointment that no funds were allocated on page 89 of the estimates by pointing out that a $500,000 allocation for consultancy services related to the programme was listed on page 92. He urged her to stop what he described as posturing and to refrain from characterising the initiative as simply selling passports.
Friday also responded to Peters’ remarks on youth representation, after she claimed the government had gotten rid of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Youth Council. He said the previous council produced no meaningful outcomes and maintained that the restructured body would function as a genuine advocate for young people, rather than one controlled by the Office of the Prime Minister.
Comments made by Peters about various cultural and production hubs were also rejected by the Prime Minister, who said such initiatives often look impressive on paper but do not function effectively. He said the government intends instead to consolidate those resources into a single, central centre for arts and culture.
During the exchange, Peters also noted a correction related to the athlete support programme. Friday confirmed that funding for the programme had been increased from $250,000 to $350,000, describing it as part of the government’s continued investment in sports development.
