IT would appear that the political opposition is hell bent on

continuing their political antics rather than getting down to seriously addressing the national interest and giving their constituencies adequate representation.
Their latest indication of continued political antics is a last-ditch effort to have the vote on the national budget delayed. The Sunday Chronicle in an article said it has been informed by reliable sources that both the APNU and the AFC have approached the relevant Parliamentary Special Select Committee with a view to having voting delayed.
Four of the six days allotted for the debates have been concluded with the final speakers wrapping up this aspect of the process tomorrow and Tuesday, after which the House would disssolve itself into a committee of supply to consider and vote on the expenditures individually.
The Chronicle was told that both the AFC and APNU are looking to have the House ‘take a break’ after the debate thereby delaying the voting or committee of supply stage.
Several political observers and analysts have pointed to the fact that the delaying tactic illustrates unpreparedness on the part of the political opposition having failed to discredit the 2013 National Budget.
According to reports, the combined opposition sees the delay as ‘time to re-draft an approach’ in light of the failed attempts to discredit the budget.
Following the close of last Friday’s debate session, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, in an invited comment, said he could not pronounce on the moves by the political opposition but did express optimism that the opposition would not be seeking to invoke any delaying tactics.
Dr Singh told the Chronicle that what has clearly emerged over the course of the past week, as the nation listened to the debate on the National Expenditures for 2013, is that “the Opposition has no substantive arguments against the budget.”
“They really have tendered no substantive arguments,” said Dr Singh and accused the opposition speakers thus far of “resorting to old and overused opposition arguments.”
According to the Finance Minister, the speakers on the opposition benches have not presented any real objective assessment of the 2013 budget and, rather, the arguments proffered are very ill informed and devoid of facts.
There was “very little said of relevance to the 2013 budget,” said Dr Singh, who also called this past week’s debate presentations on the part of the political opposition “very unfortunate” and “a missed opportunity on their part.”
In contrast, he said, the speakers in support of the budget in the government benches have, in fact, taken advantage of the opportunities provided.
“In fact, there were very strong arguments put forward in support of the 2013 expenditures,” the Finance Minister commented.
The Finance Minister is correct because indeed the speakers from the opposition have not really dealt with the 2013 National Budget in any substantive manner. Instead, they have been engaged in rhetoric and political rambling to say the least.
The opposition has boxed itself into a corner because clearly they cannot find anything fundamentally wrong with the budget and therefore cannot oppose it. So in an attempt to get itself out of the dilemma they are now applying a delaying tactic hoping to achieve what only they know of. They are also afraid that at the time of voting they may not have their combined one-seat majority and are therefore in worried state.
This latest tactic is a clear indication of a confused opposition which is not sure of its role and has no plan of action to further the development of this nation, but is most unwilling to be magnanimous and concede that the budget is a good one and work with the government to move this nation forward.
All Guyanese, including their own supporters, are anxiously awaiting their next move.