Former Social Services Minister under the 2018-2022 New National Party (NNP) administration of Keith Mitchell has set the record straight on the controversial EC$150.00 that was budgeted as “a temporary measure” for the poor and vulnerable citizens in the country.
Delma Thomas, the current Member of Parliament for the rural St Andrew North-west constituency, has crossed the floor to join the side of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Lower House of Parliament.
In her contribution to the debate on the EC$1.6 billion Budget for the 2024 fiscal year, Thomas called on her former colleagues who are now sitting on the opposition benches to speak the truth to the Grenadian people on the increase that was given in the Support for Empowerment Education and Development (SEED) programme.
She rejected claims that Congress had cut off the $150.00 on winning the 2022 general election as the measure was for only one year from January to December 2022 and was specified in Cabinet Conclusion of January 3 of the same year.
The female MP gave support to the announcement made December 4 by Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall in his 2024 Budget presentation that recipients of SEED will get an increase of EC$200.00 on their monthly allotment.
“When I heard the Minister of Finance speak about the SEED at $200, I was happy for the elderly people in the constituency of St. Andrew’s North-west,” she remarked.
“The nature of SEED is that we can’t give across the board. It is a cash transfer based on household composition. So it means that if you are going to increase SEED as it is in its original form, some families will get $50, some may get $75 added to the household, some may get $100-$200.”
According to the St. Andrew’s North-west representative at the time as the minister responsible for the programme she was informed that the initiative was not SEED.
This, she said, sparked a “back and forth” dialogue which caused the then Ministry of Finance under then Deputy Prime Minister Gregory Bowen to put in place something called “physical relief measures.”
“The measures included a $150 stimulus for all SEED beneficiaries. It was not SEED, but it’s $150 – a Covid relief…” she told Parliament.
MP Delma Thomas told fellow legislators that other “qualified” persons were added to the programme including persons who lost their jobs during the Covid pandemic in 2020.
The former NNP Minister who is now a backbencher with the Congress government clarified that it was just not SEED at play but two clearly different programs.
“One is the $150 for existing SEED beneficiaries and the other was a $450,” she said.
In a tongue-lashing directed at her former colleagues now in Opposition, she questioned whether it was not just “political expediency” or if members of the opposition were purposefully forgetting about the initial concept of the SEED program.
She proclaimed that the initiative was a temporary measure and that it was meant for one year.
“When I heard more than one member from the other side speaking about the $150 (as permanent) every time they get a chance. They understand how people gravitate towards things – if you repeat it over and over, people would believe.”
According to MP Thomas, she supports the decision to provide additional assistance to vulnerable people.
“I don’t want you to get me wrong. I believe that our citizens who are vulnerable need every bit of assistance they can get. I have done several interviews on the issue. I will champion and that is why I welcome the $200 for the elderly.”
The former NNP government minister called on her former colleagues to be truthful in their discourse on the issue.
“We have a responsibility… I have no problem if the members on the other side came and say it was a temporary measure. We believe that because of the whole COVID situation, inflation, then maybe it should continue. And then you make a case for them to continue maybe for a year, 2 years, relook at whose condition gets better. Tell them the truth – it was a temporary measure.”
MP Thomas recalled “vividly” that when the NNP was in office two members were not impressed about the “temporary measures” of the EC$150 in SEED that was being given due to the fact that the election was drawing nigh.
She felt that the Keith Mitchell-led government was being seen in the context of, “Election was coming and we are going to give this $150 for one year and remove it after.”
She recalled that one member on the NNP side was quoted as saying, “I am not happy tricking people.”
The St Andrew MP identified one as the former Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs, Kindra Maturine-Stewart who is now sitting as a Magistrate.
She did not identify the other person but said the individual is currently sitting as a member in Parliament.
She disclosed that residents of Carriacou did not receive a stimulus due to the fact that the former representative was not “happy” about the arrangement and wanted to do the initiative after the election.
“She was not happy. She didn’t want to continue. She didn’t feel good about giving something. Saying if you continue then let me give it till I come back because I will not be happy to give them then remove it; – they would see me as a liar.”
MP Thomas also took issue with statements made by her former Leader in delivering the response from the Leader of the Opposition that the budgetary allocation for SEED under his term in office was 26 million.
She described it as “a lie from the pit of hell” as it was really 18 million 5 hundred and thirty thousand.”
She explained where the Leader of the Opposition got his figure of $26 million.
“We had a budget in November for the 2022 fiscal year. We never allocated this 8 million for SEED. We didn’t have it in our minds yet…… So we budgeted $18,530,000 for SEED in its original form. Then in January, someone called saying that is not what he wants. I would not say he is a faceless monster…”
“I made several calls and we went back and forth because I was not comfortable – so I didn’t make any submission to Cabinet. The Ministry of Finance records are there. The submission is (there) the conclusion is there, they brought a whole list of relief – some were given some were not given.”
The former NNP government minister reiterated in the Lower House that, “Seed … was a temporary measure for 1 year. And I agree we should relook and see what else we can do. And that is why I welcome the $200 permanent measure – not no temporary measure.”
She dropped hints that her former colleagues on the NNP side in the Lower House will see the increase in the SEED allotment as a sign that election was just around the corner.
“Every time a measure is given to help the same poor and vulnerable, it is because an election is coming. That is why they believe in less than two years, an election is coming,” she quipped.
MP Thomas also used her Budget Presentation to issue an apology to the Dickon Mitchell-led Congress for comments made against them when sitting as a member of the former regime.
“I came in this Honourable House and I said that they were immature. I can’t recall the exact words… but I did say we were the safer hands. I want to say today we are in the safest hands.”
“We say rookies but if rookies can come in and not lie for the people. And not only when elections are close you give measures and give $200 permanent measures for elderly citizens; they might want to be on the side of the rookies.
“We have to educate the people so they will know the truth. Because a lot of the time people (say) that they love us so much. Why do they love us so much? It’s pretend love.”