Additional funds requested for the hosting of the 2022 National Toshaos Conference (NTC) and the Amerindian Heritage Month were yesterday approved by Parliament’s Committee of Supply.
A total of $54.1 million in supplementary funds were approved. According to Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai the additional expenses are due to the unexpected hosting of in-person events for the two activities.
As a result of COVID-19, the government planned to host the NTC by using the new format of meeting Toshaos regionally and hosting Heritage Month virtually, according to Finance Minister Ashni Singh.
“We reconsidered the scale and considered to have full observances,” he said.
Opposition Member of Parliament Volda Lawrence described the request for additional funding as a “clear abuse of the contingency fund.” “The budget was passed in March and the activity was in September,” she said as she added that no clear urgent need for the fund was demonstrated.
For the hosting of the NTC, $5,295,750 additional funds were approved and $48,851,100 for Amerindian Heritage Month.
The requested supplementary funding was part of Financial Paper 2 which requested a total of 2.9b under the current and capital estimates. The entire paper was approved.
