REPEATED explanations by several Government functionaries of the relevant constitutional provisions and legislations that guide public expenditure have been seemingly ignored by the political Opposition.And Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, yesterday concluded that the Political Opposition’s continued harping of ‘concerns’ over expenditure on the provision of Government services belie an attempt to keep the specter of alleged misconduct before the Guyanese electorate.

“I believe I have cited issues like getting vaccines and paying salaries that could not conceivably be withheld because of the absence of an Appropriation Act (a budget),” Dr Luncheon said when asked about the matter at his weekly press conference held at Office of the President.
“The comments being made,” he said, “are intended for the electorate to keep before it the specter of ‘alleged’ unconstitutional spending of public funds.”
The Dissolution Proclamation has activated the provisions of Article 219 (1), and combined with the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, it provides that in any financial year the Government is empowered to spend one-twelfth of the Budget of the preceding year in continuing to provide the normal services of the Government of Guyana, until an Appropriation Act is passed.
After Elections, Article 219, paragraph 3 of the Constitution, will be activated to regulate expenditure, until a first budget is passed for the 11th Parliament of Guyana.
Dr Luncheon added that at Cabinet’s weekly meeting on Tuesday it gave its no-objection to two other contracts, one being two awards valued at $1.2B for the civil works to be done at several faculties at the University of Guyana.
No contracts are awarded by Cabinet; rather contracts above the $15M mark are taken to Cabinet for its no-objection. (Vanessa Narine)