AFC proposes hundreds be put out of a job – with 50% cuts for three ministries
Georgetown, GINA, April 17, 2012
Notice Paper No. 49 submitted by Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Khemraj Ramjattan on Amendments to be moved in the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly to the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2012 which was circulated in the National Assembly tonight proposes more than 50% reductions in the sums allocated to the Ministries of Tourism Industry and Commerce, Housing and Water and Culture Youth and Sports.
The two subject Ministers along with the Minister of the Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford vehemently denounced the proposals submitted by the Opposition Parliamentary Party, which would see hundreds of workers being sent home should the financial allocations to the three Ministries be reduced to the amounts suggested by the AFC.
Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali, Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony and Public Service Minister Dr Jennifer Westford at a press conference on the proposed AFC budget cuts
Tourism
Minister of Housing and Water and Acting Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Irfaan Ali stated that Mr. Ramjattan is proposing that more than 50% of contracted staff of the Ministry of Tourism will be out of a job if the proposal is carried tomorrow.
The proposed cut for the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) could see the collapse of the country’s export market due to the inability to meet international standards as a result of the prohibition of the advanced development of the Bureau’s laboratory.
Minister Ali pointed to the fact the AFC had suggested that more money should have been allocated for Tourism Development, but now in a contradictory decision, they are saying that this allocation should be cut by almost 49%.
On the issue of industrial development, he noted that the proposal to cut this allocation by 50%, would limit the expansion of the manufacturing sector by more than 63%.
A cut in the competitiveness programme which is a foreign funded, would see the administration paying commitment fees on monies that has not yet been received, in addition to being a slap in the face for the private sector which is seeking an expansion in this area.
Housing
The AFC is also suggesting that the security allocation of the Ministry of Housing and Water be cut by more than 50%, which will definitely expose government’s assets and buildings. More than 50% of contracted employees of the Ministry will be out of a job if the allocation for this section is cut.
The Community Roads Improvement Project (CRIP) has before it a proposed cut of $500M. The CRIP programme is a foreign funded Caribbean Development Bank project that caters for over 200 roads in several Neighbourhood Democratic Councils across the country.
Minister Ali also pointed to infrastructure development and buildings under the Ministry which has a proposed cut of $1B. This means that 67% of the plans to advance the housing programme will either not succeed in 2012 or come to an immediate halt.
Water
The AFC has focused extensively on the improvement of water supply in the coastland and hinterland areas, but now come with a proposed cut to the allocations for these two areas by more than 50%.
The rehabilitation of the sewer system in Georgetown is a foreign funded project and has no budgetary implications. The proposal is to cut out $150M which will see the slowing down of the project.
Killing the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport
Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport slammed the move by the AFC to butcher the Ministry’s budget, if carried would effectively kill the Ministry.
National Sports Commission
The opposition party has indicated that they would propose no allocation of funds for the National Sports Commission which would see all 45 employees of that entity without jobs.
“What manner of madness is this?” asked the Minister.
He pointed out that zero allocation to the Commission would see the shut down of the National Aquatic Centre, National Gymnasium, National Sports Hall, Lawn Tennis Centre and the Squash Courts, since the persons running these centres are all employees of the National Sports Commission.
Additionally, Minister Anthony stated that all coaches will also be unemployed, thus showing the true colours of the AFC which always claimed that they were champions of sports.
“This is real irresponsibility on the part of a political party. They are using the tyranny of one seat to vote down a budget for young people of this country,” Dr. Anthony declared.
He noted that the development of the synthetic track at Leonora will have to be shelved since the reduced allocation will not be enough to complete the facility.
Dr. Anthony referred to the fact that the reductions will also prevent Guyana from hosting the Carifta Games since the warm up pool at the Aquatic Centre is a pre-requisite to hosting the games. The reduction of the allocation will prevent the pool from being constructed.
“Do they really care for the sports people of this country? I don’t think so.” Minister Anthony questioned how cutting the allocation for the synthetic track would improve sports in Guyana.
He stated that degutting the Ministry of its employees will not improve sports in Guyana, and butchering the budget is an ego trip by the AFC.
Culture
The reduction of expenditure for employees of this sector would see the shut down of the sector. It would see shut down of the Burrowes School of Art, the National Dance School and the newly established Music School among other entities.
Youth
Dr. Anthony stated that the call by the AFC for the administration to do more for youth in Guyana was answered in the National Budget but, he could not understand the move by the party to propose cuts for the allocated programmes.
“Is this how we are going to do more for youth? When they are sending home all the people who will be working for youth?” he queried.
Many youth officers, as well as those manning training programmes at Kuru Kuru will also be out of jobs. The programmes will also come to a standstill. The Sophia Skills Training school will be out of teachers, as well as teachers of programmes in Berbice will all be out of jobs if the cuts are approved.
Additionally the teachers of the New Opportunity Corps will also be sent home, bringing to a halt the remedial programmes for juvenile delinquents.
“How can you represent the people of this country when you are telling us to cut the budget and chase them home? What nonsense is this?” Minister Anthony declared that it is the height of irresponsibility by the AFC and a really sad day for Guyana.
Solidarity
Minister of Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford stated that the AFC has targeted the vulnerable people of Guyana with the proposed cuts. She added that the move was hitting at youths.
Pointing out that the AFC which has always pushed for the vulnerable to be taken into consideration and supported has now targeted this very sector by taking even their salaries away.
“I think these people have gone mad!” Dr. Westford, “this is unbelievable.”
However, the Public Service Minister stated emphatically that, “We are not going to succumb to this. We will stand with the workers even if it means that we, the members of the Government will have to subsidise them with our salaries, we will do it. We are not going to send them home!”
She expressed hope that better sense would prevail within the AFC, and questioned whether the opposition party had consulted with any of the Trade Unions on the issue.
In a call for solidarity with the workers whose jobs are being threatened, the three Ministers have issued a call for members of the public and others to wear a white armband tomorrow.
