GOVERNMENT has announced its intention to approach the court to seek a reversal of the opposition-initiated cuts to the budgetary allocation for Office of the President (OP). Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at OP yesterday, said the budget cut  has stymied the “effective functioning” of President Donald Ramotar’s administration.
“It has essentially stripped the president of advisory services, such advisory services provided by Cabinet, the Defence Board, Press and Publicity, protocol, climate change, et cetera. These cuts are both on employment costs and other charges…Over 122 staff members and their jobs are on the line and access to public financing for the president’s functions, for him to discharge his responsibilities, access essentially has been denied by these cuts,” Dr. Luncheon said.
These cuts, Luncheon said, should be condemned by all, the masses of Guyanese and especially those who are affected.
According to the HPS, there could be no contemplation by reasonable people that the constitution at its highest and commonsense at its lowest could actually contemplate the opposition putting in place such a dire situation for the president.
As a consequence, he said Cabinet has decided to have these actions by the parliamentary opposition alliance “judicially reviewed”.