AFC lambastes APNU over consensus with government on budget issues … accuses Granger of engaging in backroom meeting with government
Written by Adele Rampersaud
Sunday, 22 April 2012 22:50
Source - Guyana Chronicle
THE Alliance for Change (AFC) has expressed disenchantment with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) because it feels that the party did not vote in Parliament for the slashing of contract jobs. The AFC is also accusing APNU of being in agreement with the hiking of electricity tariffs and for allowing the passage of $18M for security for the Housing Minister and his Permanent Secretary.
The matter came up in the National Assembly on Wednesday for vote, when APNU abstained.
According to a source close to the AFC, Ramjattan is upset with the main opposition party since, in his view, they have reneged on their words to vote for budgetary cuts if there were no convincing explanations.
Ramjattan and APNU had struck a deal that they were going to grill the government thoroughly on the line of items to be cut. However, once the explanations were clear, they had agreed not to have any cuts.
Ramjattan is accusing Granger of meeting with the government without telling him, and only admitted to this after he pointedly questioned him.
During last week, the President and APNU leader were engaged in a series of meetings on the budget, after which they were able to meet consensus. The AFC was also invited to a meeting on Friday last, but opted not to attend.
Ramjattan also noted that APNU’s Vice Chairman, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, had before only suggested that government might have been open to granting some concessions if the AFC had withdrawn its plan to cut allocations for super-salaried contract jobs.
As for the increase in electricity tariffs in Linden, Ramjattan was irritated by the announcement made by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds that APNU had agreed to the undertaking, following a meeting with President Donald Ramotar.
Ramjattan believes that APNU has sold out the Lindeners. The agreement between the government and the main opposition has sparked many speculations in the public domain. APNU Leader, David Granger, has since met with Lindeners to discuss the way forward.
However, this publication was made to understand that the agreement with the government on the tariff hike has created some disruption in the coalition’s stronghold region. Negotiations will continue from time to time between the coalition and the Lindeners in their interest.
Government has said that the time has come for Linden to begin paying the real cost of electricity, like the rest of the country that is served by Guyana Power and Light, since the power company was running at a loss. Government has since announced its intention to plug $7B into the company.
Prime Minister Hinds has given the assurance that efforts would be made to phase in the increases in tariff and make special provisions for the vulnerable. He has also reported that the government-opposition talks have seen promises to stimulate small business development.
The AFC firmly believes that Granger and crew are playing a dangerous game. The party is questioning what will be his next move should the government fail to honour their side of the deal.