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Linking with APNU is the only way to get the Procurement Commission – AFC
The Alliance for Change (AFC) has broken its silence on the decision to incorporate A Partnership for National Unity (APNU’s) Anti Money Laundering amendments in addition to their call for the establishing of a Public Procurement Commission (PPC).
The PPP government had criticized the AFC for changing its position from wanting only the establishment of the PPC for the party’s support for the passage of the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism legislation to now including APNU’s concerns.
Leader of the AFC Khemraj Ramjattan replied that his party had to support APNU since a two-thirds majority is needed in the National Assembly for them to get the Procurement Commission.
Leader of the AFC Khemraj Ramjattan
He explained that the PPC comprises five members recommended by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) but it must find two-thirds majority support in the Parliament.
According to Ramjattan a two-thirds majority could not be achieved between governments 32 seats and AFC’s seven seats in Parliament because two-thirds of the all together 65 seats in the National Assembly is 45, AFC and the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) combined would only amount to 39 seats.
As such the AFC pledged its support for the APNU amendments. “The government can’t give us the Procurement Commission, so we had to look for support. Where would we get the other six members to get the PPC from? Only APNU,” said Ramjattan.
According to Ramjattan APNU indicated that it had some amendments to make. “We found that their concerns were legitimate for local government under a new framework. Why doesn’t the President support that so that we can get a win-win-win situation? With the winning all of us would get the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, the Procurement Commission and all of us getting Local Government and new legislative frameworks.”
He explained that he told President Donald Ramotar at a meeting at Sleep Inn last month that these were the demands.
Ramjattan said that AFC is not going to give up on the PPC. “But we can ask APNU to come down on their demands with all the Bills they want passed and let the government do what is called a solid agreement to ensure that the other Bills be assented to later on but at least the Local Government Amendment Bill; that must be passed and assented to.”
He said what AFC is looking for at this stage is “the Procurement Commission, Local Government Election and Legislation for the AML/CFT that is the AFC’s position.”
Budget 2014
The AFC speaking on their input to the Budget that will be presented on Monday said through its leader Ramjattan that “we have to see the Budget then discuss that. When the Budget comes out then we will be able to say if it’s a joint arrangement on what’s going to be none approved.”
According to Ramjattan, “The word is not cut anymore.” He said that the party is only going to disapprove line item by line item. We are not going to disapprove the entire budget.
“Because policemen have to be paid, nurses have to be paid, we are not going to cut the whole budget because if the whole budget is thrown out that’s going to be a problem. We are going to disapprove certain line items. GINA definitely will go; NCN subvention will definitely go and some others.”
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