Remarkable is perhaps the only word I can summon after digesting the latest position from the government on the impact of the global economic slowdown.

Karen Nunez Tesheira, who is obviously treading water, has vacillated so vigorously over 2008 and, in full view of the public, that I am amazed that she was able to summon the courage to sit before the press corps and completely reverse her position in a feat of back peddling hitherto unseen.

When pressed on issues pertinent to the predicted fallout from the global economic slowdown, we were liberally sprinkled with shallow platitudes of “it will not have as great an effect on our economy” or  “the housing crisis in the U.S. has no bearing on our economy.” Even more astounding is the Finance Minister’s postulation that our economy remains strong because we are energy based and that “there will always be a demand for oil”

Such was the effluent that flowed from the mouth of Tesheira one rainy Friday afternoon in the House of Misrepresentatives. If ever there was a case of ‘goat mout’ this was it.

Immediately following that breathtaking suggestion in the house, there began the freefall of the price of oil. The government was apparently unable to fathom the decline in demand for energy products. The wrong and strong administration was repeatedly advised to revisit the wildly ambitious 52 billion dollar budget which was pegged at an unrealistic figure. It took some time before the government was forced to capitulate, by that time it was already too late.

Even still as the world crumbles we were assailed by the musings of Conrad Enill and Mariano Browne who seem to believe in the school of shooting from the hip. Enill in particular who said more than once that falling oil prices are not critical to the economy because our main product is natural gas. When I hear statements like that I wonder; either I am on crack or I am going crazy.

The government, through various agents of subterfuge, bobbed and weaved when confronted with the issue of inflation and the global economic crisis for all of 2008. Now we are faced with the possibility of having to borrow money to keep up. The real fallout has not yet come though. Government has already hinted at a ‘social impact’. I read that to mean a slashing of ‘make work programs’ which was also predicted.

Of course, a slashing of CEPEP, make no mistake about it , means a slashing of our throats.

You think crime is a problem now?