AFC walks out on Finance Minister’s budget speech
THE Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday walked out on the Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh’s 2014 budget speech.
In a statement issued to the media, the AFC noted that its absence was a move to register its protest against the “violation of the Constitution” by the Government of Guyana in not holding “meaningful” consultation of the Budget when it had time to do so.
The party said: “Article 13 of the Constitution provides that the principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy. In this regard, government-opposition consultation is not only useful political behaviour, but promote the type of democracy that Guyana needs.
“Unfortunately, in keeping with the misguided ‘winner takes all’ posture, this government tries to reduce the role of the majority Opposition from an active participant in national decision making to one of a passive listener.”
According to the AFC, the party has no reason to believe that the Finance Minister would make a “sober” presentation and condemned what was described as “padding” of the Capital Estimates with high-profile projects.
“The AFC thought it best, therefore, not to dignify the speech with our presence in the National Assembly. This budget is being presented by a minister, who is accused with disobeying the decisions of the National Assembly and, in disregard of those decisions, restore funds that were not approved by the said Assembly, for which acts he has been placed before the Privileges Committee of the National Assembly,” the party said.
BUDGET CUTS
While the AFC reiterated its position, expressed at several public fora, on the restoration of funds cut by the Budget – a matter that the Acting Chief Justice (CJ), Ian Chang ruled on in January this year.
At the time of the massive budget cuts, the Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, ruled in favour of the Opposition on the basis that the National Assembly can amend the budget by reducing expenditure.
While the Opposition was clearly elated, the Government resigned itself to respecting the Speaker’s ruling at the time.
Justice Chang ruled that the National Assembly has no right to cut the national budget, in favour of the Government.
He handed down his decision in the High Court on January 29, with the Opposition planning to appeal the decision, citing errors in the ruling.
The Government of Guyana had taken the Opposition to court following the slashing of the 2012 National Budget by $20.8B claiming it was unconstitutional.
In the preliminary ruling given in June 2012, the Chief Justice (acting) had ruled that the National Assembly had a role to either approve or disapprove of the National Estimate, not to cut them.
In January’s final ruling, the Chief Justice maintained his sentiments made in the preliminary ruling.
The AFC has since appealed this decision.
The party said: “The AFC, while we respect the ruling of the courts, we reserve our right to abide with the people’s mandate to guard the national purse and to fight ‘squandermania’, waste and corruption by whatever means available to us under the Standing Orders of the National Assembly, in the Committee of Supply.”
SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE
The AFC stressed that it is a “patriotic and national” movement, as the party has a vested interest to support the increased allocations for the social sectors, including education, health, housing, water, environment and security.
It said, “AFC will demand more dollars for wages, pensions and social assistance. We support subventions to organisations that promote assistance to the vulnerable in the society.”
At the end of last year’s debates the National Assembly approved an amended $177.4B Budget, which was under the theme ‘Overcoming Challenges Together, Accelerating Gains for Guyana’.
Government’s 2013 Budget was cut by a whopping $31.4B.
Of the $208.8B estimates, $5.2B was slashed from the $10.2B allocated to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL); the entire allocation of $1,250.000B towards the Specialty Hospital Project was cut; the entire Transport Programme Allocation of $5.63B under the Ministry of Public Works was gutted; the allocation for the Government Information Agency of $135.858M was reduced to $1; the National Communications Network’s allocation of $81.337M was also reduced to $1, and the Low Carbon Development Programme allocation of $20B was reduced to $1B.
However, government managed to secure support for several measures for different sections of the population including mortgage relief, increase in pension, and electricity subsidy for Linden, income tax reduction and property and individual tax reductions.
The AFC is contending that its ‘walkout’ is justified.
(By Vanessa Narine)
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