Billions diverted by prison unrest partly to blame for GuySuCo severance shortfall in budget – Trotman

Raphael Trotman

Alliance for Change (AFC) leader Raphael Trotman yesterday said the diversion of billions to the security sector after the destruction of the Camp Street prison was partly responsible for the government not budgeting the full sum for severance payments to laid off sugar workers.

Speaking at a party press conference yesterday, Trotman further explained that Minister of Finance Winston Jordan had indicated in October, 2017, that a supplemental paper would have to be passed to finance the severance payments.

“This matter has been engaging Cabinet’s attention for months. It is not that we were unaware that severance had to be paid; the $500 million was indicative of that recognition. We knew that $500 million would not be the full amount that would be needed but we sought to keep some money in reserve—put in the 2018 budget—and we needed to get a sense at the end of the year of what was necessary. We sought to put something in the tilly [$500 million]. We knew we had to pay severance, we just weren’t sure where it would come from,” Trotman said before noting that government “had to divert billions to readying both Lusignan and Camp Street… there were a number of expenses that came up in 2017.”