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But while it looks like it will go until late tonight, day two started 9 and a half hours ago, at 9:00 this morning with UDP Pickstock Representative Wilfred Elrington opening up for the UDP. He started off endorsing the budget and then went onto the topic of free Education and that stirred the opposition. Here's that exchange:...

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Whatever revenue that we got we used wisely and efficiently. and I am exceeding happy to report throughout the entire course of last year not a single public officer, not a single pensioner saw a reduction in their emoluments, saw a reduction in pension, or not a single person had to be retrenched because the Government doesn't have resources. Also too, I need to point out that as far as I am aware there was no problem on the part of the private sector to access the necessary resources they needed to in fact do the investment and pay for the goods and services that they acquired. On the contrary, all indications are that in the private sector, there was an excess of cash in the banking system so that notwithstanding the reduction in government revenues it did not have an impact on the performance of the economy and on the life of the society. As the situation stabilizes we will see the economy improve, we have new banana companies coming on stream, we had an increase in lobster tails we are having a bonanza in terms of increase in tourism."

"The suggestion from Mr. Musa, Minister from Fort George that in fact that the Prime Minster found the economy in good shape in 2008 could not be further from the truth. The truth really is Madam Speaker is that in 2008, the financial institutions were such in a bad shape, DFC, Social Security Board, Farmers Bank, Central Bank."

"The criticism that the Minister or the member of Fort Gorge level against the Education Ministry is very hypocritical indeed like my colleague who seems to be charitable towards to the member from Fort George regarding his performance in education I think perhaps he was the most disastrous Education Minister in the history in the history of our country. It was under his watch that my Alma Mater, St. Michael s College seized to exist."

"When I ran first ran, I ran on platform of free education and the member of Fort George as well as all the members of his party proclaimed that free education is bad."

Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"Respectfully to the Foreign Minister he can't be hear just be making these statements that are simply not true, they are simply not true for him to come say that the PUP was against free education is simply not a true statement. And then for him to say these things when the honorable member of Fort George is not here, it is not right."