ATTORNEY GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, yesterday emphasised that the cuts that have been administered and engineered by the combined opposition of the 2013 budget are unjustified, inexplicable and harmful to the national interest and the interest and welfare of the people of Guyana.
Nandlall was at the time addressing a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) press conference at Freedom House on Robb Street, Georgetown.
He stressed that the power and responsibility of the National Assembly are at all times to act in the best interest of the people of Guyana, irrespective of political positions, and therefore the pursuit of a political agenda must never be seen to be supreme and must never override the welfare of the people of Guyana. However, he said, unfortunately, this is what can be seen unfolding in the Assembly.
As it relates to the reduction in the allocation to the Government Information Agency (GINA), from $135.858M to $1, Nandlall pointed out that not a single question was asked of the agency during the consideration of the estimates in the National Assembly, but still the allocation was cut.
He noted that every government in the civilized and democratic world has an agency through which it disseminates information about governance.
“This is not a luxury, but an entitlement of the government, and it is an entitlement of the people of Guyana to receive information from their government, because they are entitled, as of right, to receive that information to know what the government is doing with taxpayers’ money,” he said.
In addition, he related that GINA is essential to letting people know if the government is implementing the manifesto which they presented to the people at elections.
Moreover, he stated that the government is constantly accused of not being transparent, and that GINA is one of the several avenues which is utilised to disseminate information so people can have a transparent view of how the government is functioning.
“The government, as an entity in the country, is entitled to press freedom, just as the citizenry is entitled to it, just as how private media houses are entitled to publish their views, the government is equally entitled to that type of freedom,” he stressed.
With regard to the National Communications Network (NCN), whose subvention has also been reduced to a mere $1, the AG noted that this entity provides a variety of services apart from the government’s public information.
According to him, NCN is the television outfit of Guyana that has the most balanced programming in terms of capturing the nation’s cultural kaleidoscope, sports, educational and international programming.
He also noted that even the opposition issues are called on to be aired on NCN, but pointed out that if NCN’s allocation is reduced to $1, then the programme and television station will be shut down.
“So you don’t want the TV station to function, if we find a way to keep on going, on what basis will it be that the opposition should get coverage?” he questioned.
