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MUSE or AMUSE…Budget 2013 and the Emperor’s new clothes

Jan 05, 2013 News

Budget time is here again and the political gaming process is due to start with parliamentary parties teeing to engage/disengage using the emotions of the population and the (in) flexibility of the law. The joint Opposition will be working on their plan to call for consultation and engagement in the budgetary process while GoG will artfully disengage so that the Opposition does not have a place.
One can surmise that GoG should strategically allow the Opposition to become part of the budgetary process since this would stop the Opposition from opposing the budget. However the opposite is also true since the Opposition will claim that it didn’t agree to certain sections and so cannot approve.
One fact is obvious: Ashni Singh dare not allow anyone to get to the details of any of his budgets. Too much is at risk. And the parliamentary process is bound to screw itself since budget presentation is like the US Army’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” i.e., IF the Opposition does NOT ask for specific details, the GoG is not obliged to reveal anything.
If the opposition does ask, the GoG is still NOT obliged to reveal anything other than heads and sub heads while the devil remains hidden in the details!
Notwithstanding the above, I believe that the Government should NOT include the Opposition into the budgetary process. If they want to do the budget, then win the national elections! It is the legal duty of GoG to prepare the national budget and present same to parliament for approval.
Anil Nandlall has performed well in ensuring that the legal system identified the role of the Opposition in such budget approval process. The Opposition cannot cut any item out of the budget – they can simply approve or not.
The greatest shame about the whole process is that GoG has not done anything to earn the respect of Guyanese people. And, their attitude does not engender any confidence that they are about to earn anybody’s respect. They simply do not care. They are going about their business uncaring about the perception of corruption and their own corrupt officials.
From one Ministry almost 100 persons left; in another there is payback from contractors; Ministries are inept and corrupt, Regional executives are the same. The public officials do not realize that contractors are telling their friends who and how much is paid out of contracts.
Obviously some of them don’t, but others do. Yet GoG unashamedly bashes anyone who says there is corruption and its cheerleaders from the private sector play the same tune. And, as a payback, it occupies prominent positions in committees and boards.
President Ramotar tells everyone to give him a chance to do his thing. Yet, he seems oblivious to the circles and processes around him. More than a year has passed by and he is yet to become assertive or decisive in any aspect of Government, other than crying about the majority Opposition. He would do well to take hold of his Government and do the right thing.
The sad truth is that, as time rolls by, the President is fast becoming a reference point for jokes and gaffes in bars, restaurants and homes. Almost everyone shakes their head in disappointment when his name is mentioned. He should read the story about the Emperor’s new clothes to realize what is happening to him.
We should be amused by the way things look, but it is our country at stake and so we are not amused!

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