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As the Attorney-General continues to mull the timing of a next move to the High Court to challenge the parliamentary opposition’s continuing cuts of expenditures in the 2013 budget, last Friday evening’s passage of budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Home Affairs, enabled by a surprising abstention of the AFC’s seven parliamentarians, would certainly have come as a most welcome, if intriguing, development for the government.
In contrast to earlier strategies, uncritically pursued by the minority AFC, whose seven seats in the National Assembly is crucial for the APNU/PNC’s own anti-government plans, was to infuriate Opposition Leader, David Granger, by its decision to abstain from voting when the time came to approve the budgeted expenditures for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The angry APNU leader, leading a team of parliamentarians, whose dislike for and political hatred against Home Affairs Minister Rohee have become an obsession, lost no time in denouncing the stand adopted by its coalition partner, AFC. To no one’s surprise, he reiterated the mantra of “no budging from our rigid position” in relation the Ministry of Home Affairs under Rohee’s leadership.
So, the ex-GDF Brigadier, who carries much political baggage of his own from administrations of the late President Forbes Burnham to that of the also late President Desmond Hoyte, has at least made clear his stand.
It is one of a sad mixing of personal vendetta against Minister Rohee (for no known VALID reasons) with what’s preferred for his Party’s immediate and long-term political objectives. Irrespective, that is, how hurtful it eventually proves for the Guyanese people, across political lines, Guyanese must, therefore, take serious note.
Just yesterday, the respected social commentator and frequent letter writer, Hydar Ally, noted, as headlined in a letter published in the Stabroek News:
“There is NO (our emphasis) country in the world where budgets are crafted on the dictates of the political opposition…” He went on to elucidate his concerns within the context of the prevailing Guyana Constitution of which, as he noted, the PNCR was also “a major player.”
While other ministries, including that of Agriculture, could breathe a sigh of relief that their budgetary allocations also remain intact, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds was to make a spirited intervention of his own to alert the Guyanese public on a related national issue.
He has warned that electricity consumers across the country could now face the unavoidable “crippling” of electricity services, as a direct consequence of the senseless, reckless cuts enforced by the combined opposition in voting against allocations sought for the operations of the Guyana Power and Light Inc.
The Prime Minister had a simple point of emphasis, one with which all informed Guyanese consumers are well aware, that this country, like its CARICOM partners (other than Trinidad and Tobago) heavily depends on imported fuel, the cost of which keeps rising and creating problems for consumers in all categories, as well as the GPL’s management.
Rather than emulate other parliaments in this region, where government and opposition often cooperate to avoid interfering in budgetary provisions that could further negatively impact on rising cost of living, here in Guyana, the AFC/APNU coalition seem to share a commitment to make life as difficult as possible during every budget debate, even if it hurts ALL, including their own supporters.
When will this political madness ends? We think the PEOPLE, whose valid votes ultimately decide the formation of a government, KNOW the answer. To our readers we say: Hold strain! And walk good!
In contrast to earlier strategies, uncritically pursued by the minority AFC, whose seven seats in the National Assembly is crucial for the APNU/PNC’s own anti-government plans, was to infuriate Opposition Leader, David Granger, by its decision to abstain from voting when the time came to approve the budgeted expenditures for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The angry APNU leader, leading a team of parliamentarians, whose dislike for and political hatred against Home Affairs Minister Rohee have become an obsession, lost no time in denouncing the stand adopted by its coalition partner, AFC. To no one’s surprise, he reiterated the mantra of “no budging from our rigid position” in relation the Ministry of Home Affairs under Rohee’s leadership.
So, the ex-GDF Brigadier, who carries much political baggage of his own from administrations of the late President Forbes Burnham to that of the also late President Desmond Hoyte, has at least made clear his stand.
It is one of a sad mixing of personal vendetta against Minister Rohee (for no known VALID reasons) with what’s preferred for his Party’s immediate and long-term political objectives. Irrespective, that is, how hurtful it eventually proves for the Guyanese people, across political lines, Guyanese must, therefore, take serious note.
Just yesterday, the respected social commentator and frequent letter writer, Hydar Ally, noted, as headlined in a letter published in the Stabroek News:
“There is NO (our emphasis) country in the world where budgets are crafted on the dictates of the political opposition…” He went on to elucidate his concerns within the context of the prevailing Guyana Constitution of which, as he noted, the PNCR was also “a major player.”
While other ministries, including that of Agriculture, could breathe a sigh of relief that their budgetary allocations also remain intact, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds was to make a spirited intervention of his own to alert the Guyanese public on a related national issue.
He has warned that electricity consumers across the country could now face the unavoidable “crippling” of electricity services, as a direct consequence of the senseless, reckless cuts enforced by the combined opposition in voting against allocations sought for the operations of the Guyana Power and Light Inc.
The Prime Minister had a simple point of emphasis, one with which all informed Guyanese consumers are well aware, that this country, like its CARICOM partners (other than Trinidad and Tobago) heavily depends on imported fuel, the cost of which keeps rising and creating problems for consumers in all categories, as well as the GPL’s management.
Rather than emulate other parliaments in this region, where government and opposition often cooperate to avoid interfering in budgetary provisions that could further negatively impact on rising cost of living, here in Guyana, the AFC/APNU coalition seem to share a commitment to make life as difficult as possible during every budget debate, even if it hurts ALL, including their own supporters.
When will this political madness ends? We think the PEOPLE, whose valid votes ultimately decide the formation of a government, KNOW the answer. To our readers we say: Hold strain! And walk good!
