Skip to main content

FM
Former Member

TIME FOR COMPROMISE!

April 11, 2013, By , Filed Under Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom, Source

 

The Guyanese people are tired. They are weary of the political rigmarole that the opposition is subjecting the nation just to prove the point that they have the power over what the government can spend in the economy.


The Guyanese people know what the opposition is capable of. They have felt that power before; they saw its ominous implications last year when workers were almost placed on the breadline.


They have seen the contradictions of the opposition passing the estimates for the health sector and then afterwards enquiring where the money came from to finance pharmaceutical purchases from a certain firm.


They witnessed the refusal of the opposition to pass the supplementary estimates for the specialty hospital. And then they learnt this year that the same opposition is querying the progress with the hospital. Yes, the same opposition which voted sums last year for the extension of the airport project is now also demanding greater transparency before approving any new funding. This is an opposition that is mired in political showmanship and brinkmanship.


The problem is that the Guyanese people put them there. And as such the people have to live with that choice until it can be undone. The Guyanese people must be prepared for four more years of turbulent politics within the National Assembly.


This turbulence will not end until such time as a majority government is voted in.


In the meantime, the 2013 Budget seems headed for the rocks. But if good sense prevails, it can still be salvaged. A deal has to be struck. The following are compromises that the government should propose to allow for safe passage of the Budget.


1. In relation to the subsidies to GuySuco and GPL, a committee with opposition membership will be appointed to review the development plans of these two entities. This review will form the basis on future subsidies.


2. In relation to the power subsidy to Region Ten, the government will accelerate the appointment of the technical committee agreed upon to review the tariff so that its work can commence.


3. In relation to the property tax measures, the government will maintain the threshold at the existing level of $7.5 M but adjust the base year to 2011.


4. In relation to the tax allowances for first-time home owners, the threshold should be reduced to $10M.


5. In relation to the turnkey initiative to provide homes for 48 professionals, the allotments should be done through a public and transparent lottery so as to avoid cronyism in the allotment process.


6. In relation to the Berbice River Bridge, the government will pay the toll for designated buses transporting only school children across the Bridge.


7. In relation to VAT, the government will ask the opposition to submit a list of ten food items on which they would like the VAT zero-rated.


8. In relation to University of Guyana, the fees will be indexed to the rate of the US dollar.


9. A pilot programme of school buses will be launched targeting children in some of the large housing schemes.


10. An institutional audit of the Demerara Harbour Bridge will be commissioned to determine whether the sums voted are sufficient to maintain the bridge in working order.


11. The government, with opposition input, will undertake a review of the system of prequalification used to shortlist contractors for the supply of pharmaceuticals in the health sector.


12. An audit will be undertaken to determine whether ineligible persons are receiving old age pension.


13. In relation to the airport project, a reputable and external consulting firm will be appointed to ensure that every cent is accounted for.


Even if one-third of the above list is agreed to there is no reason why the Budget should not be passed unanimously. If on the other hand, there can be no agreement on at least four of the above mentioned items then the only solution will be fresh elections.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Budget 2013 debatesâ€ĶWhen it starts tightening up, we will start lightening up – AFC’s Ramjattan

April 10, 2013 | By | Filed Under News 

“When it starts tightening up, we will start lightening up,” said Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, of the Government, when he offered his passionate contribution to the penultimate session of the final day of debating the 2013 national budget.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

Speaking of proposed plans to cut various segments of the budget, Ramjattan asserted that “we have to do what we have to do to ensure that that Government across the floor comes to its senses.” In his lengthy presentation, the AFC Leader pointed out that the impression is often given of the opposition that “we are the dragonsâ€Ķas if we are the “Bad Johns” in the place,” but according to him, moves to make alterations and amendments to the $208.8 billion national budget, which was recently presented by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, are in fact a reflection of the fact that “we are thinking of the people out there.” “But no says the other side, absolutely no. They say that we want to do damage to the workers of this country. That is the last intent we would have ever had, but it is not part and parcel of it at all, but the reconfiguration of a budget that could have occurred during a more sincere dialogue process is now not there.” However, Ramjattan did commend the crafting of the budget by the Finance Minister and his team, at a time when there are challenges internationally, locally, as well as regionally. He however pointed out that the AFC is convinced that the budget could have been a better one, had the Finance Minister sought to incorporate points that were presented to him weeks ahead of the budget presentation. He even alluded to the tripartite consultation process which was introduced last year, through which a couple of points were highlighted for inclusion in the budget but were not. Turning his attention to the presentation of PPP member, Reverend Kwame Gilbert, who underscored that “we are where we are and it is better than where we were,” Ramjattan noted that the statement is in indeed a fact, but countered by noting that “incorporating what the opposition had, we could have been far better than where we are.” Taking the spotlight immediately after the AFC Leader, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, insisted that Government has remained committed to the task of preserving a policy environment that is conducive to economic growth and social development. Moreover, he insisted that “it doesn’t just happen, it needs the right circumstances to bring it about and the result was a seventh consecutive year of rear growth in our economy, associated strong macroeconomic performanceâ€Ķand visible improvements not perfectionâ€Ķin our regulatory and institutional environment.”

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan

As such, Hinds insisted that every Guyanese citizen should feel some level of satisfaction or sense of reward in that “our work has brought us a seventh successive year of real growthâ€Ķ not that we have not had years of growth beforeâ€Ķbut we had been fluctuating.” “Seven consecutive years of growth amidst what is happening globally, in our region and even locally, should grab our attention, as it says that we have been doing some things right and some things good, and we might very well be on track to realising the dreams of our present and past generations,” the Prime Minister added. He alluded to Government’s efforts to bring into place the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, which is aimed at alleviating the challenges currently faced by the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) while at the same time lowering the cost of electricity. This development, he said, will seek to slash generation cost by half – indicative of a drop of from 26 cents to about 12 cents an hour per kilowatt. There are also moves, according to the Prime Minister, to upgrade the transmission system, even as he announced that by the end of the year the Berbice and Demerara interconnected systems should be in place, with several new substations being realised. “These will greatly improve the provision of electricity to our customersâ€Ķ” said the Prime Minister who was on a mission to extensively share his views on the various development projects that have been engaged by the Government to ensure that all citizens could benefit.

FM

The Guyanese people are tired. They are weary of the political rigmarole that the opposition is subjecting the nation just to prove the point that they have the power over what the government can spend in the economy.


The Guyanese people know what the opposition is capable of. They have felt that power before; they saw its ominous implications last year when workers were almost placed on the breadline.

FM

You get in life what you deserve and the Guyanese people deserve the shyt in the opposition parties. 51% of the Guyanese people voted for the AFC/PNC, so let them suffer for their foolishness in not giving the PPP a majority.

 

Having said that.  There are politicians in the PPP who are arrogant and corrupt---they will get what's coming to them---Karma will deal with their aS$es---but the Rev maintains that the PPP is best equipped to lead Guyana to more progress and positivity.

 

Rev

FM
Originally Posted by Rev Al:

You get in life what you deserve and the Guyanese people deserve the shyt in the opposition parties. 51% of the Guyanese people voted for the AFC/PNC, so let them suffer for their foolishness in not giving the PPP a majority.

 

Having said that.  There are politicians in the PPP who are arrogant and corrupt---they will get what's coming to them---Karma will deal with their aS$es---but the Rev maintains that the PPP is best equipped to lead Guyana to more progress and positivity.

 

Rev

Amen! Amen! Praise to the almighty! 

FM

Speaking of proposed plans to cut various segments of the budget, Ramjattan asserted that “we have to do what we have to do to ensure that that Government across the floor comes to its senses.” In his lengthy presentation, the AFC Leader pointed out that the impression is often given of the opposition that “we are the dragonsâ€Ķas if we are the “Bad Johns” in the place,” but according to him, moves to make alterations and amendments to the $208.8 billion national budget, which was recently presented by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, are in fact a reflection of the fact that “we are thinking of the people out there.” “But no says the other side, absolutely no. They say that we want to do damage to the workers of this country. That is the last intent we would have ever had, but it is not part and parcel of it at all,

cain

The joint opposition seems hell bent on derailing the progress on Guyana, there's talk in many facet of the Guyanese society, that a snap election may be the only way to end the gridlock in the National Assembly. In the event of such, the joint opposition "one-seat" majority, may become a fragment of one's imagination, the masses no doubt will endorse the PPP/C in a bid...to let progress continues

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by cain:

Ramjattan asserted that ..  “we are thinking of the people out there.”

Thinking and doing are different actions.

Sayyyyyy what, really!!!

 

 

Banna, I see the PPP doing so much with their people that they even have them sit idle while the PPP bring in Chinese to do their (the Gy people) work and say dem boys doan know how fo talk or some such stupidness nuh.

cain
Originally Posted by cain:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by cain:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by cain:

Ramjattan asserted that ..  “we are thinking of the people out there.”

Thinking and doing are different actions.

Sayyyyyy what, really!!!

Really.

No Shit!

Getting constipated? 

FM
Originally Posted by Conscience:

The Guyanese people are tired. They are weary of the political rigmarole that the opposition is subjecting the nation just to prove the point that they have the power over what the government can spend in the economy.


The Guyanese people know what the opposition is capable of. They have felt that power before; they saw its ominous implications last year when workers were almost placed on the breadline.


Guyanese people are tired of the PPP screaming that unless they get their own way then they will not listen to others.  Most Guyanese REJECTED them last time because of this attitude.  The oppoistion isnt ideal, but then neither is the PPP.

FM
Originally Posted by cain:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by cain:

Ramjattan asserted that ..  “we are thinking of the people out there.”

Thinking and doing are different actions.

Sayyyyyy what, really!!!

 

 

Banna, I see the PPP doing so much with their people that they even have them sit idle while the PPP bring in Chinese to do their (the Gy people) work and say dem boys doan know how fo talk or some such stupidness nuh.


Yes Guyanese people lack the ability even to dig holes.  No wonder Plaisance people came out wondering, why, with so much unemployment in that village, Chinese were brought in to erect the tower.

 

 

The PPP better be ware that Guyanese might do what Jamaicans have done, and that is to burn down structures built by Chinese workers.  Its interesting that the only time Caribbean govts "respect" the locals is when election time comes around.  If the locals lack the skills then one can ask what they govts have been doing over the last 50 years to equip Caribbean workers. 

 

If there are skills shortages in one CARICOM country then CSME dictates that such skills should be sought out in another CSME country, prior to issuing work permits to foreigners.  But you see our petty Napoleans all over the Caribbean have greasy palms and the Chinese know fully well that this is a cheap price to pay.  Then folks wonder why THROUGHOUT the Caribbean Chinese workers are being targeted.

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by cain:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by cain:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by cain:

Ramjattan asserted that ..  “we are thinking of the people out there.”

Thinking and doing are different actions.

Sayyyyyy what, really!!!

Really.

No Shit!

Getting constipated? 

Ohhhh crap!

cain

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×