Another round of confrontation

Guyana is a country of conflict and confrontations. Ever since the Ramotar Government failed to win an absolute majority in parliament it has had to deal with serious objections from the opposition. So serious were the objections that the opposition has been using its majority vote in the National Assembly to effectively defeat those government measures that it did not approve of.
The government is having a torrid time to pass the anti-money laundering Bill largely because the opposition cannot find favour with the Bill as it is. The opposition has tabled its amendments and one hopes that these amendments would be recognised for what they are and the Bill passed.
But sometimes, the government needs not do anything to spark a confrontation.
A case in point was yesterday’s walkout from the National Assembly by the Alliance For Change. The occasion was the presentation of the 2014 Budget by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh. There was no indication that this would happen.
In fact, after six of the members had walked out a lone member, Ms. Valerie Garrido-Lowe, remained seated. She soon left but the suggestion is that, she was disapproving of her colleague’s action.
At issue is the fact that the government did not consult with the opposition while preparing the Budget. As far as the Alliance For Change was concerned it was ignored and since it represents a section of the population it needed to represent the interests of that section of the population.
Indeed from the first time President Donald Ramotar recognized that he had a parliamentary minority, he openly stated that he would work with the opposition parties for the good of Guyana. These parties must have taken him at his word but they were sadly disappointed when they failed to be consulted on certain national issues.
They are being consulted by the recent move by Brazil to spearhead hydroelectric development in Guyana. They were consulted on certain aspects of existing development programmes. For example, when the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project hit a stone wall based on the public outcry at the cost of the project, the government sought to take the opposition into its confidence to explain all the ramifications.
The government told the opposition about the sources of funding and of Government’s contribution. Indeed, for the government to spend money on the project parliamentary support was needed. With its majority, therefore, the government could have simply shut down measures by the government to spend public funds.
Indeed, this is more so in theory because in two previous budgets the opposition voted to cut expenditures to certain areas. However, the government proceeded to spend the money with utter disregard for whatever the parliament voted.
The opposition is threatening to have the Finance Minister be sanctioned for a breach of the parliamentary regulations.  He disregarded the need for parliamentary approval and spent money already cut from the budget.
It is the same Finance Minister who was supposed to invite the opposition for meetings on the budget. These meetings never got going because whatever timings the Finance Minister proposed failed to find favour with the opposition parties.
Before the Finance Minister could have completed his budget presentation the opposition was signalling that the budget would not be passed as presented. There would not be any bail out for the sugar industry. From our point of view, if sugar is one of the pillars of the economy then it becomes necessary that everything be done to support that pillar. Not so, says the opposition.
This sends a message that the opposition is prepared to see sugar go the way of so many failed industries and businesses. The debate is going to be most acrimonious because sugar represents the mainstay of the ruling party.
The electricity company is also in need of a bail out. The opposition says that it is not enamoured with any US$18 million bailout. Blackouts are a common feature. Last year when the opposition cut the subvention there was the promise of electricity rate hikes. This was not to be.
Perhaps we will see a repeat this year.