Office of the President accuses opposition parties of violating constitution, despite commitment during tripartite agreements.
Published on Friday, 17 February 2012 01:24
Written by Super User
Source
The government says the National Assembly of Guyana in its third sitting in 2012 has again made a decision that violated the Constitution, the laws of Guyana and a commitment made by the Parliamentary Political Parties during the tripartite talks to work together in the interest of Guyana.
In a statement this evening, the Office of the President (OP) said minister of finance Dr. Ashni Singh tabled on February 10, 2012, Financial Papers No. 7 & 8 for the consideration of the House, which disclosed expenditure made through supplementary provisions by the Administration in Fiscal year 2011 in accordance with existing law.
OP outlined that the law provided for the Minister, "at the earliest opportunity subsequently, to present for the consideration of the House the expenditure so incurred."
"The initial reactions of the APNU/AFC Parliamentary alliance to the February 10 tabling were uncompromisingly hostile with threats ranging from outright rejection to censure, among others. The alliance continued its rhetoric about unlawful expenditure." The statement said.
It adds that the alliance in examining the Financial Papers, "selectively withheld its authorization of various expenditure items. The principle that the expenditure made by the Minister and outlined in the Financial Papers 7 & 8 was in conformity with the existing law was repeatedly rejected by the APNU/AFC Parliamentary alliance."
In that context, the OP said, at the Committee of Supply, the alliance rejected expenditure related to Office of the President procurement of security surveillance goods and services, expenditure on National Events and Ceremonies, specifically the national awards and the inauguration of President Ramotar.
"Also rejected at that level was the expenditure for overtime paid to public officers at General Registrar’s Office earned during the Claims and Objections periods leading up to the 2011 General and Regional elections" it said.
According to the statement, "most bewildering" was the APNU/AFC "comprehensive rejection" of expenditure associated with the Specialty Hospital construction and site preparation.
Looking ahead, the APNU/AFC alliance seems intent on cherrypicking and rejecting selective items of expenditure.
"It is anticipated that they will use their voting strength to authorise the expenditure for only those items favourably considered at the level of the Committee of Supply thus rejecting recklessly all the other items of expenditure. Once again the APNU/AFC Parliamentary alliance has signaled its intention to continue on the course of confrontation using their combined vote in the National Assembly for partisan political interests. Regrettably, the APNU/AFC combined vote in Parliament has now been used on three (3) consecutive occasions in two sittings to undermine constitutionality and to disregard parliamentary norms and traditions." said government.
It added that the very first time, and unparallel in the history of the legislature in Guyana, the APNU/AFC collaborated to have both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker to belong on the same side of the House.
"On the second occasion, the APNU/AFC combined vote was used to establish a composition of the Committee of Selection that ignored the constitutional principle of proportionality among the parties therein represented." It said, adding that "In this the latest and the third time, the APNU/AFC alliance rejected authorizing lawful expenditure by the Administration that was outlined in Financial Papers 7 & 8."
These three consecutive acts, the statement said, have conjured the spectacle of "the Parliamentary opposition parties collaborating on frustrating the implementation of the PPP/C Executive Parliamentary program."
Published on Friday, 17 February 2012 01:24
Written by Super User
Source
The government says the National Assembly of Guyana in its third sitting in 2012 has again made a decision that violated the Constitution, the laws of Guyana and a commitment made by the Parliamentary Political Parties during the tripartite talks to work together in the interest of Guyana.In a statement this evening, the Office of the President (OP) said minister of finance Dr. Ashni Singh tabled on February 10, 2012, Financial Papers No. 7 & 8 for the consideration of the House, which disclosed expenditure made through supplementary provisions by the Administration in Fiscal year 2011 in accordance with existing law.
OP outlined that the law provided for the Minister, "at the earliest opportunity subsequently, to present for the consideration of the House the expenditure so incurred."
"The initial reactions of the APNU/AFC Parliamentary alliance to the February 10 tabling were uncompromisingly hostile with threats ranging from outright rejection to censure, among others. The alliance continued its rhetoric about unlawful expenditure." The statement said.
It adds that the alliance in examining the Financial Papers, "selectively withheld its authorization of various expenditure items. The principle that the expenditure made by the Minister and outlined in the Financial Papers 7 & 8 was in conformity with the existing law was repeatedly rejected by the APNU/AFC Parliamentary alliance."
In that context, the OP said, at the Committee of Supply, the alliance rejected expenditure related to Office of the President procurement of security surveillance goods and services, expenditure on National Events and Ceremonies, specifically the national awards and the inauguration of President Ramotar.
"Also rejected at that level was the expenditure for overtime paid to public officers at General Registrar’s Office earned during the Claims and Objections periods leading up to the 2011 General and Regional elections" it said.
According to the statement, "most bewildering" was the APNU/AFC "comprehensive rejection" of expenditure associated with the Specialty Hospital construction and site preparation.
Looking ahead, the APNU/AFC alliance seems intent on cherrypicking and rejecting selective items of expenditure.
"It is anticipated that they will use their voting strength to authorise the expenditure for only those items favourably considered at the level of the Committee of Supply thus rejecting recklessly all the other items of expenditure. Once again the APNU/AFC Parliamentary alliance has signaled its intention to continue on the course of confrontation using their combined vote in the National Assembly for partisan political interests. Regrettably, the APNU/AFC combined vote in Parliament has now been used on three (3) consecutive occasions in two sittings to undermine constitutionality and to disregard parliamentary norms and traditions." said government.
It added that the very first time, and unparallel in the history of the legislature in Guyana, the APNU/AFC collaborated to have both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker to belong on the same side of the House.
"On the second occasion, the APNU/AFC combined vote was used to establish a composition of the Committee of Selection that ignored the constitutional principle of proportionality among the parties therein represented." It said, adding that "In this the latest and the third time, the APNU/AFC alliance rejected authorizing lawful expenditure by the Administration that was outlined in Financial Papers 7 & 8."
These three consecutive acts, the statement said, have conjured the spectacle of "the Parliamentary opposition parties collaborating on frustrating the implementation of the PPP/C Executive Parliamentary program."
