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THE Opposition has shown its hands to the Guyanese people that it has no concern for national development, nor for them, and instead is prepared to use its one-seat majority in Parliament in the most perverse manner possible to advance narrow political interest, according to Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh. The minister said this fact is clearly seen in the Opposition cutting of $31B from Budget 2013.
According to Minister Singh, there was no project, programme or initiative that was contained in Budget 2013 or in any PPP/C budget that did not meet a critical need of the national development agenda. He said every single project or programme that was included in the budget was part of a comprehensive development programme or service, consistent with national development that would have been agreed on by wide stakeholder consultation with the public and/or private sector.
He said the Opposition, therefore, in inflicting these cuts to Budget 2013, callously disregarded the views expressed by the citizens. “I believe that in opposing the cuts, the Opposition has disclosed itself to the people of Guyana as having no concern for national development, and no concern for the wellbeing of the Guyanese people.”
There can be no other conclusion but this, if one were to examine the reality of the cuts that they imposed on the budget, “because every one of those projects and initiatives would have and was intended to have a positive impact on national wellbeing and individual wellbeing, and in cutting these initiatives, the Opposition has disclosed its lack of concern for national and individual wellbeing in Guyana,” he said.
Programmes and projects affected included the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) project funded under the Guyana Redd+ Investment Fund (GRIF) under which are the Amalia Fall Hydropower project, the Amerindian Development Fund, the Amerindian and titling initiative and the Small Business Enterprise project; all projects that would have transformed the economy of the country and the lives of the citizens.
Also cut was the entire 2013 budget for the transport sector, which covers allocation for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) modernisation project and a significant investment for the maintenance and upgrade of hinterland airstrips.
Minister Singh explained that the inclusion of the investment in hinterland airstrip would have been there in the Budget 2013, firstly because Government would have long recognised the importance of access to and from the hinterland. It was also in response to an explicit request made by the Private Sector, which in its submission to Budget 2013 identified this as one of its highest priority, and government responded to that advocacy.
“I have no doubt that the Opposition is aware that this was a priority identified by the Private Sector. The Private Sector has said this publicly, so what you have here is not only a cut to the budget that will affect communities and people,…what you also have is essentially a statement by the Opposition of disregard for the interest of the Private Sector, because here you have an issue that is identified as a priority by the Private Sector, and the Opposition taking the position that we are not interested in whether this is a priority issue or not,” the Finance Minister posited.
Dr Singh said the Opposition’s callous disregard for the views expressed by important stakeholders is confusing, in light of the fact that the Opposition always speaks of consultation and taking on board the views of other stakeholders.
Recently, Opposition Leader David Granger was reported in the Stabroek News as saying that ‘no impact seen yet on budget cut’. Minister Singh, in responding to this statement, said that this is preposterous as everyday one reads of the cut projects being delayed and persons not being paid, also because of the cuts.
“The Opposition leader must have been misreported, otherwise I find it impossible that he would have made such a statement,” Minister Singh declared. (GINA)
According to Minister Singh, there was no project, programme or initiative that was contained in Budget 2013 or in any PPP/C budget that did not meet a critical need of the national development agenda. He said every single project or programme that was included in the budget was part of a comprehensive development programme or service, consistent with national development that would have been agreed on by wide stakeholder consultation with the public and/or private sector.
He said the Opposition, therefore, in inflicting these cuts to Budget 2013, callously disregarded the views expressed by the citizens. “I believe that in opposing the cuts, the Opposition has disclosed itself to the people of Guyana as having no concern for national development, and no concern for the wellbeing of the Guyanese people.”
There can be no other conclusion but this, if one were to examine the reality of the cuts that they imposed on the budget, “because every one of those projects and initiatives would have and was intended to have a positive impact on national wellbeing and individual wellbeing, and in cutting these initiatives, the Opposition has disclosed its lack of concern for national and individual wellbeing in Guyana,” he said.
Programmes and projects affected included the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) project funded under the Guyana Redd+ Investment Fund (GRIF) under which are the Amalia Fall Hydropower project, the Amerindian Development Fund, the Amerindian and titling initiative and the Small Business Enterprise project; all projects that would have transformed the economy of the country and the lives of the citizens.
Also cut was the entire 2013 budget for the transport sector, which covers allocation for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) modernisation project and a significant investment for the maintenance and upgrade of hinterland airstrips.
Minister Singh explained that the inclusion of the investment in hinterland airstrip would have been there in the Budget 2013, firstly because Government would have long recognised the importance of access to and from the hinterland. It was also in response to an explicit request made by the Private Sector, which in its submission to Budget 2013 identified this as one of its highest priority, and government responded to that advocacy.
“I have no doubt that the Opposition is aware that this was a priority identified by the Private Sector. The Private Sector has said this publicly, so what you have here is not only a cut to the budget that will affect communities and people,…what you also have is essentially a statement by the Opposition of disregard for the interest of the Private Sector, because here you have an issue that is identified as a priority by the Private Sector, and the Opposition taking the position that we are not interested in whether this is a priority issue or not,” the Finance Minister posited.
Dr Singh said the Opposition’s callous disregard for the views expressed by important stakeholders is confusing, in light of the fact that the Opposition always speaks of consultation and taking on board the views of other stakeholders.
Recently, Opposition Leader David Granger was reported in the Stabroek News as saying that ‘no impact seen yet on budget cut’. Minister Singh, in responding to this statement, said that this is preposterous as everyday one reads of the cut projects being delayed and persons not being paid, also because of the cuts.
“The Opposition leader must have been misreported, otherwise I find it impossible that he would have made such a statement,” Minister Singh declared. (GINA)
