Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee on finance would like to remind all Members that there was an agreement to delay our review of the main estimates for 1992-93 until the summer of 1992 to give the cabinet time to make the changes for the better. As a result, the committee does not have a great deal of comment or recommendations to make on this interim appropriation.
The committee is generally supportive of the 1992-93 interim appropriation to start the new year until the main estimates can be debated in the Assembly in the summer. We recognize we will be limited in our ability to affect the budget for this year. Accordingly, here is what we expect and would like to recommend:
Cabinet should note the aggressive and concerned tone that the standing committee on finance has set in the review of the capital estimates. Extra vigilance should be shown in the review of the main estimates and an action plan put into place showing how cabinet will lead this government out of the deficit crisis. The standing committee on finance will want to see such a plan as soon as possible.
The standing committee on finance will require responses to last year's standing committee on finance recommendations on O and M, which we have not yet received.
Key result indicators should be incorporated into the main estimates in order that the standing committee on finance can see past trends and future goals -- for example, school graduation rates -- and use the data to evaluate the fundamental needs and drive resource allocation decisions. We want no surprises or abuse of special warrants. The chairman of the standing committee on finance should be informed, in advance, of any special warrant or significant changes over half a million dollars.
Corrective management action must be taken in the areas of housing, education and health.
The use of the territorial budget to put local people to work must be a priority and used at every opportunity. We must have assurances that standards applied across the board are driven by base necessity and affordability.
Departments must work together to take advantage of economies of scale and otherwise save money. This is essential. A message must be sent to all government civil servants, including agencies, boards and commissions, that when they spend government funds they spend it with the same due consideration as if they were spending their own.
No new income or sales tax.
March 31, 1992, government financial statements should be made available to the Members by June 7, I believe, so that we can know the state of affairs on a timely basis. We require the March 31, 1992 financial statements of the government at the same time as we are provided with the O and M budget for this year. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.