PRIME MINISTER Portia Simpson Miller has again fiercely defended the Government's decision to use $1 billion from the National Insurance Fund (NIF) to assist small businesses.
In an apparent response to threats this week from Opposition Leader Bruce Golding, that he would challenge any move by the Government to facilitate the transfer, Mrs. Simpson Miller yesterday maintained that the transfer was an investment that was being misunderstood.
"It is obvious that people, when they want to understand they understand, and when they want to misunderstand they do so," the Prime Minister said during the launch of the Private Sector Development Programme at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston. "And there are people who go to bed every night just praying for Portia to slip, or the Government, and wake up every morning repeating the same prayer."
She said the funds to be transferred from the NIF, for other purposes, constitute a loan and not a grant to those who will benefit.
"I hope I will see nowhere else as if to say we are using the pensioners' money at our will ... as if we are giving the NIF money as a grant. The $1 billion is not a grant, it is an investment!" she stressed.
IT'S ILLEGAL SAYS GOLDING
On Wednesday night, while addressing a Generation 2000 (G2K) current affairs seminar, Mr. Golding said it was illegal for the Government to take funds from the NIF because Section 39 (3) of the National Insurance Scheme Act stipulates that no payment can be made from the fund except for approved benefits, refund of contributions and administrative expenses.
Mr. Golding also indicated that the Jamaica Labour Party's legal team has been asked to examine whether it is legal for the Government to withdraw NIF surplus funds. The lawyers are to submit a formal report to the party and the Opposition says it is willing to take the matter all the way to the Supreme Court.
Mrs. Simpson Miller said the NIF would be investing the money in the micro business sector over the next three years.
