Dear Editor,
The race to the conclusion of the 2025 budget debate was long, and winding and fascinating and surprising, all at the same time. This marathon was an unforgettable display of knowledge, wit and stamina – a performance that grabbed the attention of many viewers and listeners; curious to be informed of the final decision.
Although it was 5 days of intense deliberation by the Council of Ministers and Members of Parliament, the nucleus of this article would be centered on the latter group only, as I bring into focus three MPs who really captured my interest – deeply impressed with not just the content of their presentations, but their disposition that interlocked with the sincerity of their individual messages.
During the budget debate, it was crystal clear that these MPs were independent thinkers, because they have studied the document, which provided them with the insight not to pose lots of questions that would result in superficial answers. Instead, they assessed the pros and cons of the budget, linked their evaluations and recommendations to the reality of the various situations, and then dialogued with the relevant ministers, via the Chair.
Based on space availability, I can only highlight a brief version of their presentations, starting with MP Veronica Jansen-Webster. From the start, she acknowledged to be very comfortable in her new position as an MP and that she would live up to the expectations that are required of her. This admission expressed maturity to move on and embraced her current role, in order to work in the best interest of the people.
When this MP spoke, her demeanor was so calm, and her choice of words were simple and well-measured. She linked her own experiences to solidity her advices to the ministers. I was very much touched when she revisited the Tourism Master Plan to extract information that has relevance today. This jolted my memory, because I can recall clearly when this document was put together, roughly 20 years ago.
MP Jansen-Webster urged the ministers to monitor their progress on a spreadsheet, to see what they have accomplished. This is up my alley because I started writing a similar article and I left it unfinished. To top it off, she pleaded with the ministers to recognize and encourage the good people who are around them and vowed to keep the ministers accountable for their actions.
MP Ludmila de Weever had a similar approach in her delivery, where her findings and requests were clearly defined. This MP stressed the need to present the budget with precision, to reflect the current year, and to make the document complete. She agreed with the principle of continuity, but was critical about new items added to the budget to incur more debts, which disputed the core meaning of continuity.
She also expressed the lack of unity among the Executive branch to focus on the issues that have plagued the country for months – matters such as safety and security for all; garbage disposal; road neglect; traffic congestion; economy and tourism. She encouraged cooperation across ministries, but reiterated that the Council of Ministers need to come together to work on these pressing issues.
The most crucial matter for me was when MP De Weever described the responsibility of Bureau Telecommunication and Post – how it failed to report matters in a timely fashion – and questioned if the organization’s personnel have the experience and knowledge to manage this entity, because of her experience with this institution.
The MP further emphasized that there was no oversight, and begged Prime Minister Luc Mercelina to look into the operation of BTP, to ensure that the supervision is carried out professionally. I really appreciated the explanation because all along I thought that BTP was only responsible for the regulation of telephone companies.
Hats off to MP Sjamira Roseburg for doing a fantastic job as the Vice Chair of Parliament. It was not an easy task to chair the debate for three consecutive days, especially when two days of these deliberations ended around 1:00am. This was a test of stamina. If anyone had tuned in for the first time, he or she would not have known that this was her first-ever, presiding over a budget debate.
She followed the Rules of Order to the best of her knowledge, and at times when the chatter among teammates rose above the acceptable level, she reminded her colleagues to maintain the decorum that is required in The People’s House. Great job, MP Roseburg!
What a memorable experience the budget debate of 2025 has been!
Joslyn Morton
