President optimistic that $220B Budget will be approved
By FareezaHaniff
Despite the fact that the combined Opposition has withheld its support for the Specialty Hospital and other health services along with voting against the $1B for the Amerindian Development Fund, Head of State Donald Ramotar is optimistic that the country’s 2014 National $220B budget will be passed in the National Assembly.
The President is holding the Opposition members to their recent comments, stating that they will support the allocations once ‘proper’ answers are provided by the government.
In this regard, Ramotar noted that his Ministers are capable to providing whatever explanation the Opposition needs.
“I don’t think that there are any questions that the Opposition posed to the government that has been left unanswered and our Ministers are ready and willing to give exhaustive answers to their questions. So if theystick to what they say that they will support the budget if we give proper answers, then I’m optimistic that reason will prevail,” the President said during an interview.
The Head of State is of the view that there is nothing contentious in the budget that deserves to be cut.
“I don’t see anything there that merits being cut in the budget because all of them either contribute to the economic development of the country or it passes on substantial social benefits to the population.”
As such, he is calling on citizens to follow suit like the sugar workers and demand that the Opposition support the country’s national budget.