Historic budget debate begins today - government prepared and equipped says Minister Edghill
Written by Leroy Smith
Monday, 09 April 2012 20:53
Source - Guyana Chronicle
Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill
THE debate on the historic $192.8 billion begins today in the National Assembly and the arguments are expected to very robust for a number of reasons. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle in an interview yesterday,
Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill explained that the one seat majority currently being held by the joint opposition is one of the reasons.
That aside, Edghill made it clear that the government side of the house is very much prepared and well equipped to defend the proposals and submission in the 2012 National Budget as presented by Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh two Fridays ago.
According to Edghill the 2012 budget debates will also be very interesting given the unrealistic promises to the Guyanese people that were made by both the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) during the lead up to the November 28 regional and general elections in 2011.
Raising the income threshold to $100,000) per month, massive tax cuts and substantial increase in the old age pension are just a few of the unrealistic and unreal promises the minister identified. He pointed out that for a country to take all those drastic steps without having added revenue income for the country could spell disaster in the nationβs economy, namely bankruptcy.
But the empty, unreal and unrealistic promises made by the AFC and APNU were all part and parcel of a well orchestrated move, Edghill pointed out, adding that both parties were fully well aware that they were not going to win the elections so making the promises was no big deal for them.
Edghill contended that not having the responsibility of administering the country and its resources was something the two opposition parties knew was not going to be their task after the election.
He lamented that now the two parties are forced to make a big hue and cry during the debate in an effort to satisfy the expectations of those who voted for them because of the promises which were clearly empty and remains impossible at this time.
Edghill expressed the view that those sitting on the opposition benches in Parliament often find pleasure in speaking on everything except the issues at hand. He is calling on both of the parties to realize the focus of the budget and programmes aimed at speaking to the needs of the masses of this country.
It will take the devilβs own job for anyone who refuses to support the 2012 National Budget to prove to the Guyanese people that they are serious about this country moving forward, further it will be a task for those persons to prove that they are reasonable people, Minister Edghill was quoted as saying.