Budget 2015 in jeopardy; AFC signals non – support for fiscal plan

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AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan (center) flanked by General Secretary, David Patterson (left) and Dominic Gaskin. [iNews' Photo]

 

By Kurt Campbell

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan (center) flanked by General Secretary, David Patterson (left) and Dominic Gaskin. [iNews' Photo]
AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan (center) flanked by General Secretary, David Patterson (left) and Dominic Gaskin. [iNews’ Photo]
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Alliance for Change (AFC) made it pellucid today that that it will disapprove any National Budget brought to the National Assembly by the current administration for the fiscal year 2015.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan made the announcement in an invited comment after reiterating his Party’s position that it will not engage the governing People’s Progressive Party in any dialogue or negotiations during this current period of the prorogation of Parliament.

“We are going to disapprove the whole budget buddy… you can expect of the Alliance for Change no support for the budget which is tantamount to a no confidence motion,” Ramjattan told Reporters at a press conference.

President Donald Ramotar moved on Monday last, by proclamation, to prorogue Parliament ahead of a debate on a No Confidence Motion brought against his administration by the AFC.

The Party said it will not give a government it has no confidence in the approval to spend any more of the country’s money.

According to Ramjattan, whenever Parliament is reconvened the Motion would be brought back which once successful would trigger General Elections. The Head of State has already indicated that should discussions with the Opposition fail then he would move to dissolve Parliament and go to the polls; general elections is not constitutionally due in Guyana until November 2016.

“Regardless of the content, we will disapprove it… we know they will come with all the goodies. 20% increase in public servants salary, 100% for certain sectors of the public servants and a whole lot of pork barrel projects and then they will got to the people and say we had a beautiful budget and Ramjattan and them boys blocked the budget so you have to vote back for us,” the AFC Leader explained.

When asked if he feels he’s playing into the government’s hands by disapproving the budget, Ramjattan responded: “What hands? The people in this country know lots more than you think they know… it’s about elections.”

Meanwhile, AFC Executive Member, Dominic Gaskin explained that the administration can spend for 2014 because that money has already been approved. He said for the first four months in 2015 the government has provisions in the constitution to spend from the consolidated fund but after that time, they either have to come to the National Assembly to approve additional funding or go to the polls.

The current prorogation period could last for a maximum of six months. When asked yesterday about this reality of not securing the Opposition’s support for the 2015 budget, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said “time will tell.”

He is hopeful that with time the Opposition will get a change of heart when that time arises.

Meanwhile the main opposition – a Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – has not commented on the likelihood of their support for the budget.

Both the AFC and APNU has said however that any deals and agreements made with the government during this period of prorogation will be reopened whenever Parliament is reconvene to be scrutinized.

APNU position too is that no dialogue will take place with the government outside of the National Assembly.

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5 COMMENTS

  1. The look on these guys face tells one thing “DEFEAT”. The AFC used their constitutional right to submit a “no confidence” motion. The President used his constitutional right to prorogue parliament. “Knackback” is always harder.

    Instead of these losers sitting at press conferences they should get out there and campaign. Go out and meet your “supporters”. The reason they are not doing this is because they have nothing to tell the people. The Guyanese people already know that elections will be soon so Ramjattan and company can continue to argue among themselves.

    The PPP/C and the President are well within their constitutional rights and they are playing their cards very well. When the PPP/C wins with a majority at the next elections, that would be the end of the AFC. The losers sitting at the table would then realize how much time they lost behind frivolous activities. TIP: Start preparing a contract for Dick Morris.

  2. this is the final dance for ramjatah n naga…the very people they are pushing to turn on indians will turn against them once they know it was ramjattan and nagamootto that led grainger by the nose in this mess..
    ramjattan and nagamoottoo sold out graingu in linden so they drove the final nail in pnc granger coffin should elections held as of now..pnc done due to ramjattan and nagamootto..thank to you two..

  3. RAMGOATMAN SUFFERING FROM AN EXAGERRATED SENSE OF SELF -IMPORTANCE . HIS BALLOONED EGO WILL BURST IN 2015. IT’S JUST A QUESTION OF TIME. PAMPAZETTE YUSELF,RAMGOATMAN! PAMPAZETTE YUSELF!

  4. Khemraj, STOP! stop and look how stupid you sound, you’re so full of yourself. Now you really sound like tingling brass! You’re not the President! you’re not even Granger! you’re that same unprofessional lying lawyer. So far the only people you have successfully fooled is the PNC leadership.
    The AFC leading the PNC, is like the blind leading the blind. Where the AFC has failed to trick the PPP, has succeed with the PNC, leading them by the nose.
    what a great achievement by the AFC to be able to fool all of the PNC leaders all of the time.
    I recall a AFC supporter said something about brain dead. I think he was trying to say that all of the PNC MP’s are brain dead. So probably that’s why the AFC was trying to think for them. What a predicament!

  5. 20% increase in public servants salary, 100% for certain sectors of the public servants ????? ….this will be good for many Guyanese

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