Guyanese have been “bluffed, duped & deceived” by Budget – PPP
By Jomo Paul
Although the 2015 Budget was passed by the National Assembly to the tune of $187.7B from an initial figure of $221B, the People’s Progressive Party is not quite finished with its criticisms of the new government and its inaugural budget.
At a Thursday afternoon press conference (August 27), Bishop Juan Edghill pointed out that the budget reeked of “upper middle class judo Christian elitism”, noting that nothing therein would benefit the ordinary man on the street in any substantial manner.
He said that while the PPP in the past would have allocated an annual amount of $450M to the University of Guyana; the Budget presented to the new government was devoid of any monies to fund students’ loans.
“We have been bluffed, duped and deceived,” said the former Junior Finance Minister.
“We would like to put on public record that we believe that our approach to budget 2015 was in keeping with the spirit intent and mandate of the people of Guyana…our approach was one to be helpful; hold the government to account and even when there was a discovery of gross discrepancies…we chose not to be obstructive…to ensure that the people of Guyana get a budget,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that the budget was riddled with blunder and the government of the day failed to lay down a procedure as it relates to spending public funds.
Nandlall pointed out that during the deliberations some of the members of the government side of the House “plain forthright refused to answer questions….a government had a mandatory obligation and duty to make those disclosure.”
Additionally, former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member Africo Selman described the new government as a group of “CIA” men and women.
“A group for CIA men and women…Corrupt incompetent and very arrogant.”
PNC will quickly become the most hated government in Guyana a second time around.