PPP calls on Granger to respond to invitation for consultations on 2014 Budget
By Vanessa Narine, Tuesday, 21 January 2014, Source
THE ruling party has called on Leader of the Opposition, David Granger, to respond to the invitation for consultations on the 2014 Budget, issued by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.General Secretary of the party, Clement Rohee, said, “Mr. Greenidge was invited for talks and Mr. Granger was informed that Mr. Greenidge was invited for talks.
“If the minister, who has this portfolio, invites his counterpart, bearing in mind what Mr. Granger has said publicly, that he has authorised his Shadow Ministers to engage in consultations and discussions with their ministerial counterparts.
“If Mr. Greenidge is not doing that, then it says that ‘something is rotting in the Kingdom of Denmark and therefore the ‘King’ should seek to expunge that rottenness and encourage Mr. Greenidge to do what is expected of him, to engage in discussions and dialogue with the Minister of Finance.”
Rohee was speaking at a press conference yesterday held at Freedom House.
According to him, it seems that a policy decision has been taken internally and is not being enforced by the Opposition Leader.
He added that the criticism over the sincerity of the invitation should be taken with a “spoonful of salt”.
“In a democracy there will always be people with doubts about the genuineness, the sincerity of Government ministers….there is always suspicion and even disrespect, even as it relates to the fact of e-mails being sent off.…I would take this with a spoonful of salt when you hear doubts about the minister’s invitation,” the General Secretary said.
Rohee stressed that the invitation, dated January 13, was copied to several other persons.
The e-mail copied to Messrs. David Granger, Lance Carberry, Khemraj Ramjattan, Dr. Roger Luncheon, and Ms. Gail Teixeira and contains copies of documents to be discussed, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance.
The General Secretary said, “The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has stated two things publicly in recent times: one is that the Opposition was invited for consultations on the budget and in fact he made reference to e-mails that were sent out to this effect; and secondly he advises the Leader of the Opposition, that if he is really in charge that he must send Mr. Greenidge packing off to the Ministry of Finance to begin consultations in the interest of the country.
“It would be interesting to see what comes out of this.”
The Finance Ministry’s statement noted too that Greenidge was asked to suggest a date during the past or coming week, but has not yet responded.
“CHEAP PUBLICITY STUNT”
The ministry’s statement was made in response to claims by the Opposition Leader who said A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was being sidelined from consultations on the national budget.
His comments were made public in a Kaieteur News article last Friday, under the headline: “APNU says it’s being sidelined from budget consultation – will force implementation of reforms if concerns not taken on board”.
Dr. Singh has since dubbed the claims a “cheap publicity stunt” and a “blatant” lie.
The national budget is to be presented within a few months to the National Assembly.
