Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh has described an article carried in today’s Stabroek News as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public on the matter of the ongoing budget talks between Government and the Parliamentary Opposition.
The Minister took specific objection to a paragraph in the Stabroek News article that read as follows: “He (the Minister) said Carl Greenidge of APNU wrote him a letter stating that the date set for the meeting was not suitable and offered to propose a suitable date. The Minister is yet to finalise this.”
Minister Singh stated that the last sentence in that paragraph is the most shocking example of journalistic dishonesty and bears absolutely no resemblance to what he told the journalist who interviewed him on the matter.
The Finance Minister said that he clearly told the journalist that he (the Minister) had written the Opposition inviting them to a follow-up meeting some weeks ago. Mr. Greenidge subsequently indicated that he would be unable to attend on the date proposed, and Mr. Greenidge offered to suggest an alternative date. Mr. Greenidge is yet to propose such an alternative date despite repeatedly undertaking to do so. The convening of the follow up meeting has therefore not materialized because Mr. Greenidge is still to indicate a date that would be convenient for him.
Minister Singh stated emphatically that to suggest that the meeting is held up because the Minister is yet to finalise ‘this’, whatever the ‘this’ refers to, is downright dishonest and a blatant attempt to mislead the public.
The facts of the matter are as follows. The Minister of Finance wrote to the Opposition on 25 February inviting them to a follow-up meeting on 28 February. On the evening of 27 February, Mr. Greenidge called to indicate that he would be unable to attend the meeting on 28 February and asked if the meeting could be rescheduled to accommodate his availability. The Minister agreed immediately to accommodate Mr. Greenidge’s request and asked Mr. Greenidge to inform him as soon as possible when he would be available. Mr. Greenidge undertook to do so. On 3 March, Mr. Greenidge wrote the Minister asking him for twelve additional copies of the information that Government had provided in preparation for the meeting. On 5 March, the Minister supplied the requested additional copies to Mr. Greenidge and reminded him that he was awaiting his advice on when he would be available for the follow-up meeting. On 6 March, Mr. Greenidge responded indicating that he will get back to the Minister. Since then, there has been no communication on the matter from Mr. Greenidge.
Government continues to await Mr. Greenidge’s advice on when he will make himself available for these important discussions. Any suggestion that the meeting is still to be held for any other reason is downright mischievous and dishonest, said Minister Singh.
