THE Alliance For Change (AFC) said it is concerned that the Government seems interested in having its own Budget not approved.The AFC, in a statement yesterday, said this is becoming more evident as the examination of the estimates continues in the National Assembly with the most recent act of sabotage coming during the examination of allocations for the Public Works Ministry.

According to the AFC, the Government has lumped the $6.5 billion it allocated for the Airport Expansion Project with allocations for the rehabilitation of Hinterland and Coastal Airstrips, equipment for civil aviation and money for the Ogle Aerodrome.

The AFC said that during the examination of the estimates on Thursday, it urged the Government to delink the allocation for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion Project from the total $6.785 billion allocated for Transport under the Ministry of Public Works. The Party said it made it clear that it would support the other allocations in addition to an allocation for the extension of the runway at the CJIA.

“The Government has refused to delink the CJIA Expansion project and moreover, has refused to discuss the matter with the Opposition,” the AFC stated.

“At the start of the detailed examination of the Budget, the Assembly agreed a Sub-Committee system where controversial allocations could be discussed and matters peacefully resolved. When the CJIA Project came under examination, it was proposed that it be placed before the Sub-Committee (and) while the AFC and APNU entered the negotiating room, the Government representative refused to participate,” the AFC stated.

According to the AFC, the Government’s refusal to engage at the Sub-Committee level has brought into question its commitment to having the 2014 Budget approved.