PEOPLE’S National Party (PNP) campaign spokeswoman Donna Scott-Mottley on Friday said that should the PNP form the next Government it will not scrap the rural school bus system being implemented by the current Administration.

This despite a claim previously made by Opposition spokesman on education Damion Crawford, during the debate on social issues, that a future PNP Government would scrap the system in its current form.

“Clearly there are some places where it can be used. We don’t expect it to last 15 years, because our situations are different. If you are driving in Florida you are not going to drop into a pothole every two minutes,” Scott-Mottley said at a media briefing at the PNP’s Old Hope Road, St Andrew, headquarters.

“No, we are not going to discard it, because that would be waste and we, as a party, we do not embrace waste. We take decisions which are well thought out and well implemented, so we would use it where it is feasible. We are just not going to endanger our children, their safety and security by sending those school buses in areas where they ought not to be,” she added.

The PNP’s Julian Robinson also sought to explain the party’s position on the rural school bus system in light of public backlash about the PNP’s initial reaction to the programme.

“The reality is that we are not against a school bus system — and I just want to make that clear — but what we have an issue with is importing buses that are 15 years old; that are left-hand drive; that are really unsuitable for narrow, winding, hilly roads. We would like a proper school bus system so that we can transport our kids safely around the country, but the buses that have been imported are clearly not suitable…” he said.

Robinson, who is also Opposition spokesman on finance, doubled down on the PNP’s $3.5-million income tax threshold proposal, despite questions about how it will be funded.

“I have explained in fairly clear detail how we plan to fund it, which is that the reduction in the debt-to-[gross domestic product] ratio, getting to 60 per cent as actually confirmed by the fiscal commissioner in his release… the data from the fiscal council which says we are going to hit 60 per cent two years earlier allows the Government additional fiscal space which we will use to implement this plan. It is sound, it can be stress-tested by any economist, and it can be verified,” said Robinson.

“We are confident that we can implement this based on how the adjustment to debt-to-GDP and what that frees up in terms of fiscal space,” he added.

He also reiterated the PNP’s proposal of the removal of tax from overtime payments.

“There are a lot of persons [for] who a significant part of their income is derived from working more than the standard 40 hours per week. By removing the tax on overtime it means that they get more money in their pocket to spend,” he said.