Prime Minister, Finance Minister to answer APNU question at next sitting of House
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh

PRIME Minister Samuel Hinds, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, will respond to questions posted by APNU MP Joseph Harmon at the next sitting of the National Assembly.

Harmon is questioning the financial arrangements made with the National Communications Network (NCN) to facilitate live coverage of the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) weekly press conferences.

Harmon’s second question is for the Prime Minister to provide details of payments made by the PPP for the facilities provided by NCN.

At the recent Budget debates, the combined Parliamentary opposition voted down the entire $5.1B Office of the President (OP) budget for administrative services, sinking funding for NCN and GINA.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh is likewise scheduled to respond to two questions on the University of Guyana Student Loan Fund tabled by Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Ms Amna Ally, at the next sitting of the National Assembly.

Ally, shadow Education Minister, tabled the questions on June 19 and requested the Finance Minister to provide a detailed statement of the Student Loan Fund.

Ally also seeks a response to her second question on the current requirement for students to obtain loans in 2014, and the current balance of the fund to meet such requirements.

The Finance Minister had only last month revealed that millions of dollars are still owed to the University of Guyana Student Loan Facility, since graduates have taken an escape route and are not repaying outstanding debts.

Prior to the Minister’s declaration on the Student Loan Fund, the combined opposition, APNU/AFC, had voted down this crucial student facility, justifying their actions on the ground that the fund was tied to several contentious projects.

And the University, by confirmation from Vice Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi, will shortly increase the annual tuition cost to the Guyanese dollar equivalent of US$1000. This decision was made after a series of consultations with stakeholders was held to decide the fate of the cash-strapped institution.

(Ravin Singh)

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