AG maintains Executive has sole authority for Budget : - says Opposition has no power to cut 2013 Budget

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Former Member

Responding to APNU… : AG maintains Executive has sole authority for Budget : - says Opposition has no power to cut 2013 Budget

Written by Gary Eleazar

Monday, 18 March 2013 19:34

ATTORNEY General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall has said the executive arm of government is the sole authority to prepare and present the National Budget to the nation through Parliament. He added that, while the ruling of Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on the matter is recognised as preliminary, “unless it is overruled or set aside, the Executive will be guided by it”.
Nandlall declared that any attempt to cut the Budget this year, by the combined Opposition, will, again, bring it in conflict with the Constitution.
The Legal Advisor to the Government was responding yesterday, to pronouncements by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) which said “the charade conducted by the Minister of Finance can only mean that it was his intention, all along, that the 2013 National Budget would have to be dealt with on the floor of the National Assembly”.
APNU has suggested that, perhaps, “the Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, is convinced that he could, safely, shelter under the umbrella of the provisional ruling by the Chief Justice.”
Nandlall, in response to APNU, remained adamant that the ruling by Justice Chang is a “constitutional interpretation from the nation’s Constitutional Court.”

THE JUDGE WAS CLEAR
The minister said the judge was clear, in his decision, that the preparation and presenting of the Budget is the sole job of the Executive.
Nandlall said, for the Opposition to attempt to cut the budget or substitute expenditure would be attempting to subvert the role of the Executive.
He said, contrary to what the judge had ruled, such action by the Opposition would, essentially, be trying to prepare the nation’s budget by the combined opposition.
Nandlall said, although the job of the budget preparation is solely that of the Executive, as outlined in the Constitution, the Administration has sought, over the years, to meet with and consult with various stakeholders inclusive of the political Opposition.
He lamented that this did not bear the desired fruit as a result of the ‘intentionally non-cooperative’ stance taken by the combined Opposition.
The 2013 preparation was no different, as invitations were extended to the combined opposition to be a part of the process but they have “no power in the National Assembly to cut the budget or to make substitutions”.
He said that was made pellucid by the judge, whose edict had served to better outline the doctrine of the separation of powers between the Executive and Legislative arms of Government.

OPPOSITION ACTIONS UNLAWFUL
In July, the court held that the actions of the combined Opposition were unlawful when it slashed more than $20 billion from the 2012 Budget.
The judge had said the National Assembly can only approve and disapprove of the budget estimates but “not cut it”.
Meanwhile, the 2013 Budget will be presented on Monday and Minister Singh has indicated that the focus will remain on accelerating economic growth and social development, with continued emphasis on macroeconomic stability and preserving the conditions that are conducive to attracting investment, expanding and upgrading physical infrastructure, expanding access and improving quality of social services, and strengthening the institutional and regulatory environment.
Nandlall reiterated that though the court decision is provisional, as referred to by APNU in its statement, “that does not cause it to lose its efficacy”.
He said the judge was clear in outlining the role of the Executive and the Parliamentary Opposition, as it relates to the expenditures for the year.

Taken from the Guyana Chronicle

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Former Member

Let it be clear that in a democracy no President alone should have the authority to do as he pleases with the nations money. They already claim the legislature cannot object or amend in any way any of the proposals. That is absolute nonsense. That is the classic definition of a dictatorship.

This AG is being the classic Consigliere to a crime organization. Authority has to be based on a moral precept. To be an elected dictator is not a moral basis for anything. If this is what the PPP say is the kind of government they want then we need to take to the streets because I am sure the masses of citizens never thought their democracy would be supplanted this way. The law cannot be used as a foil to attempts at bringing accountability into a system. The PPP as benefactors of a nations struggle to attain free and fair election ought to be on the vanguard of free and clear choice of people for office based on merit and not on nepotism. They ought to be on the front line of making us a strong, vibrant democracy where all are accountable or they get fired.

3/19/135:41 PM

Former Member

quote:
ATTORNEY General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall has said the executive arm of government is the sole authority to prepare and present the National Budget to the nation through Parliament. He added that, while the ruling of Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on the matter is recognised as preliminary, “unless it is overruled or set aside, the Executive will be guided by it”.

He said the judge was clear in outlining the role of the Executive and the Parliamentary Opposition, as it relates to the expenditures for the year.

Correct, and it will be seen how the issues would develop this year.

3/19/135:43 PM

Mr.TI pity the fool

The purpose of a parliament is obviously not clear to the PPP. Having got into power for the first in 1992 and then stayed there since then, the PPP is obviously still unclear about the purpose of parliament. Jagdeo made the rules after all. Now the PPP is confronted with a real opposition they think they can still make up the rules as they go along.

The attorney general is telling lies. He knows that but hopes that the dumb electorate believes him.

3/19/136:09 PM

Former Member

The opposition seems to be hell bent of making the country ungovernable, without even see in the proposals for the 2013 budget, they are already talking about cutting the budget, the opposition is proving to be more and more....anti working class

3/19/136:10 PM

sachin_05Senior Member

Originally Posted by Conscience:

It is the people who voted the PPP out of the 50% majority because of their corrupted practices. The cutting of the budget is exactly what the puplace voted for so you could go find a boner to suck on if you don't like it....

3/19/136:18 PM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Conscience:

One does not have to see the budget to know what will be cut. The Marriott should be defunded as it is a PPP leech project. NCN and GINA should be cut and so should any subsidy for the Skeldon plant and GPL.

Guyanese are building up multibillion debt to the Chinese and yet they cannot by default get the job opportunities afforded by their investment( they have to pay the money back so it is their investment). So much for your working class budget

3/19/136:26 PM

Former Member

Hold your horses, "Stormborn", and await the presentation of the 2013 National Budget...hold your horses

3/19/136:38 PM

MitwahSenior Member

"Cheddi was a humble man who did not collect six months pay before he died. Bharat who handpicked Presi Pamotar built a US$2 mill house by the sea side as he tried to convince the world of global warming; and today he draws down G$3 mill/month for pension. President Ramotar lives in the legacy of Linden Forbes Samson Burnham's bastardized Constitution."

3/19/137:45 PM