Joined by members of his parliamentary caucus, Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Michael Pintard delivered a response to the mid-year budget communication given by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis on Wednesday.

Pintard told reporters the mid-year budget communication was filled with smoke and mirrors meant to cover the government’s failures. He said, “failed to provide relief for the cost of living, failed to provide a pathway for sustainable economic growth and development and failure to show how they have governed in a fiscally responsible manner and how they have been transparent with what they do with your money.”

The opposition leader called on the government to come clean on the rise in recurrent expenditures. “What was the reason and justification for a $192 million increase in the recurrent expenses? Was this spike in spending to finance more than $300 million in no bid contracts the Davis administration has reported over the last twelve months? We are concerned and there is no explanation for why they continue to carry out this practice without justifying why they are doing it,” Pintard said.

Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, the Hon. Kwasi Thompson said Bahamians are in a cost of living crisis. “From the length and breadth of The Bahamas we are in a cost of living crisis. We are not saying that the government caused the crisis but the government ought to be mitigating the crisis.”

The mid-year budget debate will begin in the House Of Assembly next week.