Gov’t moves to limit budget considerations to three days; PPP cries foul

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By Jomo Paul

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo.
Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo.

[www.inewsguyana.com] – The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is crying foul over a motion moved in the National Assembly to restrict the considerations for the 2015 Fiscal Budget to three days.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, moved the motion on Thursday afternoon citing that it would allow for expedience in the passing of the Budget. The Prime Minister said that restricting the considerations to three days is not unconstitutional since the Standing Orders do not speak to a minimum time, but to a maximum time frame of seven days.

However, Government Chief Whip Gail Teixeira argued that the motion is not in order.

“I think this augurs very badly for the new administration if they to want to restrict the debates to three days…Mr Speaker we will not support this motion, she stated.

Teixeira described the motion as a trickery stating that since some Ministries have been renamed, Parliamentarians now have double the work on their hands.

“In the budgets of this House we have never tried to prevent the members from asking questions…this is trickery…I am asking you Sir to declare this motion as out of order,” she stated.

Gail Teixeira
Gail Teixeira

Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland allowed the motion, stating that the Standing Order speaks to the maximum time and he finds no fault with the motion presented.

It was then put to a vote with 28 thumbs down and 32 thumbs up with former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall voted “no to the death of Parliamentary democracy.”

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15 COMMENTS

  1. Prior to the 2011 election when the PPPC enjoyed absolute majority in Parliament, the opposition were given ample time for all debates, significant positions on all parliamentary committees all because there was democracy in action. What you refer to as ”powerful tool for the government” is certainly NOT democracy; it’s dictatorship of a defacto administration that has no moral or legal right to occupy the seat of power. That’s a hall mark for the PNC now baptised as APNU as the former makes up almost 99% of APNU .
    If, as they claim they won they election, then their actions are nothing more than an ABUSE OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY and this will ultimately lead to the DEATH OF DEMOCRACY in Guyana once more.

  2. This bird brain poster mohamed29 knows no other word but scum or scumbag. Check all his/her posts in every online news media. He/she constantly used the one and only word he/she knows. This poster has never made any suggestion so that others could get involved in a healthy debate on issues through their responses..Post something worth while so that a healthy debate could be entertained.

  3. Oh Yes? Well YOU better make the most of it because this marriage of convenience between APNU and AFC is already under massive strain kept up only because of the shame-if they have any- that would befall them once it is torn apart. They have already displayed Hitlerite tendencies thinking that they would be in office forever. Just wait and your arrogance fade into oblivion.

  4. What shame and disgrace this Granger de facto Government is executing in the house.

    They simply do not want to be exposed during the budget debate for all the wrong doings committed on Guyanese for this short period in office.

    What will happen to Guyanese in the coming years should the last????

  5. Government Power over the Parliamentary Process from Canadian parliamentary procedures:
    One key disadvantage the opposition faces is the government’s control over the parliamentary process. For example, with the exception of those limited times and days set aside for the opposition parties, the government controls the parliamentary timetable. As such, the government dictates what sorts of motions and bills the House will hear, debate and vote upon. Moreover, through the use of certain parliamentary powers, such as closure, the government can limit parliamentary debate. This is a particularly powerful tool for the government when it holds a majority in the House because it can close debate, and then use its majority to quickly pass or defeat a motion or bill. Furthermore, as the government has power over key positions in parliamentary committees, it is often able to control the outcomes of the committee process. In addition, the government can simply disregard any advice or conclusions offered by a committee if it so chooses.

  6. The PPP Scums will cry foul because they are a pack of inept and incompetent Ninconpoop who only wants it the communist way or no way. To hell with you Scums.

  7. Why would the Granger administration want to limit the debates to just three days? This is a strategy to stifle comprehensive debates on the budget and certainly not, as that NAMAKHARAM claims ”it would allow for expedience in the passing of the Budget”.
    Moses the NAMAKHARAM would certainly have kicked up a stink if he was sitting in the opposition benches. Their overall plan is not to have too much time spent on the floor of parliament discussing the pro’s and con’s of the budget. They would obviously have control over most of the committees once the budget is passed and pronto, death of parliamentary democracy. PNC dictatorship returns but with the help of JATTAN AND NAMAKHARAM

  8. Mr. Nagga Man on the roll, the Nimakaram who was speaking of accountability all the time don’t want the Opposition Party to asked the de facto government crabs any question. What a way Mr. Nagga man
    High time now the PPP boycott the parliament and let the crabs dem do what they wanted to do.
    SHAME this the change you all voted for

  9. Chalk one up for the old crafty veteran. Nagamootoo – 1, Jagdeo – (nil).
    I bet you Jagdeo and his merry bunch did not see that one coming. LOL
    I hope they have lots of bathrooms in Parliament Building because Gail will need at least one fah she self. After contracting a case of “diarrhea of the mouth” as she lamented would be the case for a majority of the APNU/AFC Parliamentarians yesterday..
    Bwoy, you got to love Guyanese politics… 🙂

  10. This is an assault on our democracy. First they dont want to follow the order in which the opposition leader speaks, now they want to restrict discussions on the budget, and Norton wants to appoint people even if they are not qualified. This govt is a total disgrace.

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