Letters & Opinion

Opposition Leader says: Government is not a business!

Image of Opposition Leader, Philip J. Pierre

OPPOSITION Leader Philip J. Pierre says governments are not businesses and should not be run like one.

Pierre made the remarks while responding to the budget proposals outlined by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Allen Chastanet.

Pierre told the House of Assembly. “This budget is premised on the theory that government must be run like a business.

“This administration repeatedly speaks of running the government as a business, as if it were some forward-thinking initiative that will increase and improve the quality of public services.”

But, Pierre said, “Running a government was never intended to be a high level business model.”

He explained, “Government and businesses are at different ends of the continuum of the provision of services.

“Governments are about providing public services that are driven and motivated by the need to serve the common good. Businesses, on the other hand, are about providing services that are essentially driven and motivated by the creation of profits.”

Mr Pierre concluded, “These are two very different approaches.”

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