YES!

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang has ruled that the opposition has no right to cut the country’s budget estimates and can only approve or disapprove the entire budget or sections of the budget.

The Chief Justice handed down his decision in the High Court on Wednesday, January 29.

The opposition has since planned  to appeal the decision, citing errors in the ruling. iNews will provide a full story shortly.

The Guyana Government had taken the Opposition to court following the slashing of the 2012 National Budget by $20.9 billion claiming it was unconstitutional.

That is an excellent ruling.  WELL DONE CHANG.

You support slashing the budget right?

I support slashing sections of the budget.

LOL!

quote "can only approve or disapprove the entire budget or sections of the budget."unquote

So if the opposition disapprove of the Budget, can the PPP/C go ahead and pass same with a minority vote?

Why Chang did not make any mention of that?

This is an absolutely awful ruling. It makes  a farce of democracy. The government does not engage the opposition in open debate or even committee debates to fabricate a consensus budget. They do that in the dark of night. If the constitution is so poorly supportive of democracy that the entire assembly are just there to sit on their hands and say yea or nay then the idea we are democratic is a farce. There are absolutely no checks on the PPP oligarchy. If that is the case then screw it and take to the streets.

can you read??

that ruling said they can approve or disapprove...seems ok to me

Ian Chang has ruled that the opposition has no right to cut the country’s budget estimates andcan only approve or disapprove the entire budget or sections of the budget.

If we should ever come to only one party making the decision/s then we can safely say that Chang decision is flawed. As Guyana is not a dictatoral state.
Poor Judgement via Chang.

It was a mistake as the word 'or' should be substituted with 'only'

we need an accurate ruling

Ofcourse we do Ray, Chang's ruling make me believe that he is opening his mouth where the soup is running

they can approve or disapprove does this mean they can slash the budget or just approve or disapprove,now what this do for the majority of guyanese

Quote "The opposition has since planned  to appeal the decision, citing errors in the ruling." unquote

time for the opposition to take to the streets.

Then why are we paying them, just to say yea or nay to the elected king? There is no democracy on the planet with such a system. Obama does not make his budget. It is a function of the legislature since they are the peoples representative. The President or the Executive branch is the execution point. They do not get to design and execute that is dictatorial.

I guess you have to assume that not approving of the Budget is the result of a vote in Parliament. The govt can only go ahead and pass the budget with their minority in parliament in cases where the opposition abstains from voting on the budget or where some members of the opposition support the Govt side in a vote on the budget.

In my view this ruling allows the opposition to achieve the objective of altering the budget by a longer process - If the vote on the budget is to not approve of it, it must be reviewed and altered by the Minister of Finance and a new version tabled afresh in Parliament. I do not think that the Constitution or Parliamentary Standing Orders limit the number of times the Budget can be 'not approved', which in turn triggers the alteration by the minister and re-submission. Also in "not approving" of the budget the opposition would necessarily speak in parliament on the reasons for their "not approving" - so sooner or later the minister will get the drift and if he wants to have a budget passed he will have to alter it  and present one that accords with the wishes of the opposition.

...so to my mind same objective of opposition can be realised but by a longer process.

The point is, we have a democracy, an inclusive one by all proclamations of those insisting on autocracy. It means that what is best for the nation is to be decided in the assembly. The President and his party formulates the strategy and the Assembly examines it for its relevance and necessity and asks for changes based on review. Since the cannot participate then how do the review, only by cyclical nays and not explanatory options? That is an idiotic way to structure a democracy in our era.  If it was such a good system why did the European parliament which balances national sovereignty and parochial concerns to come with up a consensus vision not adopt this? It is absolutely a stupid way and only serves a dictator.

I agree.

Every GNi DUNCE is now an expert on Law.

Tell that to the Ukrainians or the Tunisians etc. We are the People. We are not the PPP serfs. The idea that they can rely on a constitution they rejected as flawed and wrong in 78 to 92 does not mean it is right now. One does not accept roles, one prescribes roles. That is how a state is envisioned, as the implicit awarding of authority to govern at the people's behest . The people are both sides of the assembly and in this case the majority is in the opposition. The PPP cannot be elected dictators.

THE LAW OF THE LAND IS PARAMOUNT. DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN

the sad truth is the opposition is the majority,now if they can only get a leader with a heart to lead from the front.the streets is where salvation is 

Yes the Constitution needs to be revamped. But that will not happen in the near future. 

I see the effect of the CJ's ruling a bit differently ... I think that in effect  opposition has the upperhand in fashioning the budget ..it is just that they cannot go directly to cutting and rearranging it themselves but they can cause the minister to do so and to present a budget that they want. Hey, just my view...

i guess we will see soon budget is around the corner 

How about they hold it up until those excesses of GINA, the lack of accountability in NICIL etc are addressed? The PPP hiding behind the law to circumvent democracy is a reason to shut the whole thing down.

Excellent decision, Mr. Chief Justice Ian Chang.

While these procedures are known, the Opposition members - PNC cum AFC - seem to be unaware of parliamentary rules and regulations.

The Opposition can now put their scissors aside, and just disapprove of the Budget, makes it easier. The corrupt PPP/C will not not be able to pass any Budget with the Opposition dissaproval.

THE LAW OF THE LAND IS PARAMOUNT!!!!!!!!!   PPP PPP PPP HIP HIP HOORAY

Mits, what would they be doing in the street? Protest and if so for what? The court has ruled and we need to respect that. If we do not like the ruling then an appeal is the next course. APNU/AFC said that they would do just that. Let wait for decision on the appeal.

kfc LIKE TO SEND YOUNG, poor aFROgUYANESE TO THEIR DEATHS!!!

It will be seen what the PNC and AFC opposition parties will now do in parliament, specific to the debate on the budget.

I cant wait Bro. Those Chickens gun squeal like Pigs.

LONG LIVE THE PPP.

Rev