FINANCE Minister Dr. Ashni Singh yesterday expressed the opinion that Opposition Leader David Granger should instruct Carl Greenidge to make himself available for the budget talks, rather than  make threats to cut a budget he has not yet seen and to impose sanctions for offences that have not been committed.

Minister Singh stated that, with the greatest of respect for Mr. Granger, the Leader of the Opposition should assert his authority and instruct his own team to make themselves available to meet with the government team, rather than tilt at imaginary windmills in government.
The minister made the remarks in response to an article carried in yesterday’s Stabroek News in which Mr. Granger threatened to cut the budget and to move to Parliament to sanction the Finance Minister.
The article came one day after Minister Singh disclosed that the government has been waiting since late February for Opposition Finance spokesperson Carl Greenidge to indicate when he would be available to meet with the government, Mr. Greenidge having previously requested a postponement of a meeting scheduled by government for February 28. Since then, Mr. Greenidge has failed to indicate when he would be available to have follow-up discussions with government.
“I would urge Mr. Granger to consider the budget that is eventually submitted to Parliament on its merits, rather than to make preemptive and prejudicial statements that appear to serve no purpose than pre-budget political posturing. I would also urge Mr. Granger to instruct his team to make themselves available for this important engagement and for them to approach the engagement with open minds, rather that with preconceived politically motivated mind-sets. What ultimately matters is for Guyana to be put first, not for APNU to show its political might by repeatedly threatening to cut the budget or to sanction a minister unjustifiably, simply because its AFC-enabled one-seat majority gives it the power to do so.
The whole country already knows that APNU, aided and abetted by the AFC, has a majority in Parliament. What the country now wants to know is whether this majority will be used to work constructively with government to advance development, or whether it will be used to frustrate government and stymie progress. That is what the people want to know and what the people are waiting to see come Budget 2013,” Minister Singh added.