Opposition’s intention to cut 2014 Budget is fuelled by bitterness – Edghill

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Minister within the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill is of the view that the Opposition’s intention to cut the 2014 Budget is fuelled by bitterness.

Edghill was at the time responding to A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) member Carl Greenidge who reportedly noted that the APNU will not approve the budget as presented and it will be drastically amended. Allocations for projects such as the Amaila Falls and the Specialty Hospital, and the allocation to the Guyana Sugar Corporation will not be approved. 

“Any attempt to cut or amend the estimates and pronouncements to do so even before the debate starts or even before questions are asked, and answers given, displays clear intent of someone who doesn’t want to see the display of successful developmental programmes, someone who wants to ensure that the government looks bad at all costs, and someone who is not prepared to be a partner for national development,” Edghill said.

He further noted that if Greenidge or any member of the Opposition has a particular problem about allocations or financing to a particular project or programmes, “the consideration of estimates in Committee of Supply is the place where you can ask those questions.”

 “If you believe that allocations of a greater amount should be made in a particular area, or no allocation should be made in a particular area, then raise your issues so the government could hear you instead of cutting and amending. This is not good for the future of this country, especially when we are playing with peoples’ lives and peoples’ livelihood,” Minister Edghill said.

As it relates to the slashing of funds for the Government Information Agency (GINA) and National Communications Network (NCN), Edghill said “That is expected, because if you are fuelled by bitterness and your politics is about grudges and settling scores, and you want to use your one seat majority to settle scores, you don’t have to wait for the information to speak. You know exactly how you are going to settle that political score.”

Guyana’s Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh presented a $220B budget in the National Assembly on March 24. The Opposition was not consulted prior to the Budget; however government claims they were invited for consultations.