THE combined opposition drew first blood Monday, the first day of the customary budgetary debates in the National Assembly when it boldly signalled it has every intention of cutting this year’s allocations.And last evening, the Government sent them an equally strong message: Cut the budget at your own peril! “If you cut the budget, you will cut your votes and cut your seats,” Labour Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul said, in obvious reference to the opposition’s express intent to hold the country to ramsom for a third year running.

Most of last evening’s debates were centred on allocations, advances and challenges in the social sectors; with calls being made for unemployment, youth, women and children and vulnerable groups to be given more attention.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) back-bencher, Christopher Jones argued that the theme of the 2014 Budget, ‘A better Guyana for all Guyanese’, goes contrary to the actual contents of the document itself. He said, “The PPP/C has the course, but lacks the rudder. We have that on this side.”

FOR THE PEOPLE
The Government, on the other hand, maintains that the Budget includes a menu of measures to benefit the average Guyanese man and woman. In addition to announcing that no new taxes will be introduced, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh disclosed that old age pension would be increased from $12,500 to $13,600 – up from $3,500 in 2006; old age pensioners would receive an annual electricity assistance of $30,000, an increase from $20,000; and there would be a $10,000 allowance for each child in the public education system.

Among other measures Singh announced were the following: (a)the allocation of $3.2B to meet the cost of maintaining the electricity subsidy in Linden and Kwakwani, Region 10;(b) the allocation of $100M to advance technical and other assessments for capital works to Port Georgetown; and (c) $1B for rehabilitation of critical interior roads, including the Linden to Lethem road.

Allocations to other major sectors that saw an increase in this year’s Budget include the following: (a) $3.7B to the Guyana Power and Light Company to support critical capital expenditure and avoid increased tariffs for consumers; (b) $1B for rural enterprise development; (C) $6B for the sugar sector to achieve a badly needed reversal of fortunes; (d) an injection of $500M into the rice sector to support efforts to increase competitiveness and resilience; (e) $200M for advancement of efforts in other agricultural areas; and (f) an investment of $800M into the tourism industry for the establishment of a Hospitality Institute.

New this year was the announcement of a ‘Clean Up Guyana’ campaign, which attracted an allocation of some $1B, $500M of which will be dedicated to immediate efforts to clean up the capital city.

NO CONSULTATIONS
Jones underscored what he termed disregard for the merits of consultation. He said the 2014 Estimates reflect disrespect for the Guyanese people, with a disregard of the merits of tripartite consultations and its benefits relative to crafting a budget that is truly for the benefit of the Guyanese people.

The contention of the Government is converse. The Finance Minister, as recent as last Tuesday, said, “It is a matter of public record (that) we invited the opposition parties on several occasions, and they failed to turn up.”

Dr Singh explained recently that his e-mail dated January 13, 2014 indicated Government’s invitation to meet on Budget 2014, and requested APNU Member Carl Greenidge to suggest a date. The e-mail, also copied to Granger, Lance Carberry, Khemraj Ramjattan, Dr. Roger Luncheon, and Gail Teixeira, also contained copies of documents to be discussed.
However, the invitation was met with stony silence from Granger and Greenidge.

Further, in February 2014, there was still no response from the Parliamentary Opposition parties to government’s invitation to participate in pre-budget consultations.

The Alliance For Change’s (AFC) Trevor Williams, echoed Jones’s contentions and argued that eight years under the Finance Minister’s stewardship have evidenced no change.

“This entire Parliament, not just the Opposition majority, has a duty to ensure that this sort of continuity (poor management and poor accountability) is brought to an abrupt end,” he said.

STATE YOUR ALTERNATIVES
Government Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Hamilton accepted the criticisms levelled against the contents of the 2014 Estimates.
However, he chastised members of the combined Opposition, with the exception of the AFC’s Dr. Veersammy Ramayya, for not being constructive in their criticisms by not offering proposals of their alternatives.

Hamilton quipped that Monday’s debate can be likened to a cricket match, with Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge “opening the batting” for the other side, but after “50 minutes in wicket, only managed seven singles from 50 balls.”

Hamilton charged that Greenidge had failed miserably to present an alternative, as he is the Opposition’s finance point man.
On the criticism of the social sector, Hamilton underscored the fact that fingers are quickly pointed at the Government, particularly as it concerns children and the social ills they are exposed to – teenage pregnancy, alcohol abuse, drugs, etc. – but the real question not being asked is that of the parents, he said.

“Completely divorced from this discussion (are) the persons responsible. Where are the fathers and mothers?” he asked.

The allocations to the social sectors represent the largest block of spending in the national Budget.

The largest percentage of the 2014 Budget went to the Education sector, with an allocation of a whopping $32.3B, while Health received an allocation of $21.5B.

Under vulnerable groups and other targeted interventions, $382.5M have been allocated to consolidate efforts made in the delivery of childcare and protection services.

Hamilton maintained that the Budget presented by the current administration, as has been the case for the last two years, will continue, and sustain essential programmes that have made the lives of the Guyanese better in a clearly evident way.

The debates on the record-breaking 2014 Budget of $220M, presented last week Monday, continues today.
By Vanessa Narine

extracted from the Guyanachronicle