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TIME FOR COMPROMISE!

Apr 11, 2013 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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.

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