Budget preparations… Opposition axe set for NCN and GINA - Granger

Budget preparations… Opposition axe set for NCN and GINA – Granger

Oct 26, 2013 News

Opposition Leader, Brig. David Granger yesterday made no qualms to openly state that the national budget is condemned to suffer the same fate as per the last two years, if all the issues that existed before are still there.
Granger, at a press briefing he hosted at his office, made mention of the fact that the budget presentation is just months away. The Opposition Leader noted that up to yesterday, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh has neglected to invite A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge, to hammer out the framework on the 2014 budget.
The Opposition Leader told reporters that there are many issues that need to be addressed, changed and ventilated during the ongoing budget preparations.
He told media operatives that if the National Communications Network (NCN) and the Government Information Agency (GINA) does not pull up the proverbial socks, budgetary allocations set aside for both agencies will be in jeopardy.
Granger sought to explain that his party’s move to instigate budget cuts is driven by principles. He said that should there be no changes at NCN and GINA, as it relates to impartial media coverage, APNU’s axe will fall on allocation set aside for both agencies.
“Our cuts are driven by principles and the principle is that state funds must serve the interest of the people of this country and not one set of people and not one political party or one particular group. So these are not reckless cuts, these are carefully discussed,” Granger said.
The politician noted, “A budget is not an episodic evident, it is continuous because we have programmes that run from year to year…That is why from December 1, we have called on the President to establish a tripartite committee to plan for the whole five year parliament, the whole life of this tenth Parliament.”
The Opposition Leader noted that APNU does not set out to cut the budget. “APNU sets out to have a budget which satisfies the development needs of the country and the human needs of the population. We make recommendations. We don’t like cutting but we recommend policies.”
The joint parliamentary opposition—APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC)—has been arguing that GINA and NCN only provide coverage for the ruling administration.
Last year, the opposition called for the NCN’s board report on alleged fraud in the organization as a prerequisite to grant the agency its budgetary allocation.
Just as in 2012, the allocations set aside this year for the National Communications Network (NCN) -$81,337,000 and Government Information Agency (GINA) – $135,858,000, were reduced to $1 each. However, the capital funding remained as provided for by the government with NCN having $65M and GINA $13M.
(Abena Rockcliffe)

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Budget preparations… Opposition axe set for NCN and GINA – Granger

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