-but wary of Opposition’s agenda
GOVERNMENT stands ready and committed to work at the tripartite level with opposition political parties to craft the 2012 national budget. Work on the budget continues, and government is open to the views and inputs of the opposition parties. Nevertheless, government will approach the tripartite talks seeking to determine the opposition parties’ sincerity in their stated commitment to national development, bearing in mind the events that transpired in the National Assembly last Thursday.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh adumbrated this stance as government’s position, at a press conference convened in the Committee Room of Parliament Buildings immediately after the sitting of the National Assembly last Thursday.
“And the inevitable question (is) whether this opposition is seriously interested in national development, or (is) really interested in scoring cheap political points,” Minister Ashni Singh posited. He added that the opposition parties’ motives will have to be taken into consideration when one listens to what they have to say on any other matter, their having disclosed their real interest in the National Assembly last Thursday.
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) selectively withheld authorisation for various expenditure items, bluntly refused to consider Financial Paper Number 8, and subsequently moved a motion for it to be reviewed to reflect greater transparency before being re-submitted.
According to Dr. Singh, the action of those parties in the National Assembly has left the government in “completely unchartered territory”, as Thursday’s developments were never contemplated in the relevant laws. Consequently, government will closely study the implications of the extant situation, he assured.
Government is contending that this opposition alliance is being used to undermine constitutionality and disregard parliamentary norms and traditions.
The 2012 budget is constitutionally due to be presented in the National Assembly by March month-end, and is expected to be passed no later than April 29.
Invited to give a comment to this publication, President Donald Ramotar said: “Government is working assiduously to ensure that (the budget) is presented to the National Assembly within the stipulated timeframe.”
While the Guyanese leader did not want to anticipate the budget, he said it would be reflective of the promises made in the manifesto of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration.
Last year’s budget, presented under the theme “Together Building Tomorrow’s Guyana today”, was in the vicinity of several billions of dollars.