Govt, opposition disagree on budgetary allocations

Apr 01, 2014 News

---

Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, hailed the work of Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh and his team for presiding over eight consistent years of growth in the economy.
He argued that the investment in the sugar industry will secure the livelihoods 194,000 people who benefits directly or indirectly. “They must be supported and deserve any subsidy…We understand the importance of the sector, we not saying that we not look at industry in holistic manner but we have to look at the mechanism in place”

The Minister further sought to castigate the political opposition for making their public pronouncements in the media, when there is a parliamentary mechanism in place to seek the answers they desire.
He was pointing to the Economic Affairs Committee before which GuySuCo has appeared in the past.
According to Ali, the Finance Minister has presented a budget to make Guyana a better place “and make our lives better.”
Responding to former Finance Minister Carl Greenidge, of A Partnership for National Unity, that the figures in the Budget were doctored, he queried, “Where are your numbers and analysis. We are referring to independent reports, international reports and national reports generated by competent staff.”
In defending Guyana’s economic performance over the years, the Housing and Water Minister pointed members to a study by Kari Grenade and Denny Lewis-Bynoe entitled “Reflecting on Development Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis of Barbados and  Guyana,”
This report, he said, assessed the performance of the Guyana economy after 2000. The authors concluded that the growth rates in Guyana are catching up with Barbados due in part to sound macro-economic management, institutional strengthening and deeper social cohesion.
According to Grenade and Bynoe, said Ali, the success of Guyana provides good policy examples for other countries in the Caribbean to replicate.
While the opposition speaks of the need for development and job creation, it shuts down the government programmes that aim to do just that, he added.
He made reference to the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Plant, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion and the Specialty Hospital.
“How can the opposition present moral authority to speak on job creation when the investments being made by Government are being denied?” questioned Ali.
APNU’s Keith Scott, in his presentation questioned how exactly the government can ask the opposition to endorse the budget “when we had no hand in crafting it. How can you expect us to not attack you?”
He suggested that rather than giving money for a hospital “that is not ours why not put money for a lighted (Soesdyke/Linden) Highway?”
The budget, he said, has provided no relief for the poor and advocated for a return to the bargaining table so that a livable wage can be paid to public servants.
He suggested that the monies being spent on Amaila and CJIA should in fact be channeled towards workers.
Scott also lamented the sugar bailout which he says has now become the mantra for that industry.
He also questioned the need for a bailout of the rice industry.
“How can I give bailout to a profitable institution? Unless you talk to us you might find yourself guilty of given away tax payers dollars.”
According to Scott, rice with a guaranteed market gets $500M, and asks, “Are we that rich to give handouts to places like GPL and rice while we refuse to give a living wage?”
He lamented that none of the proposals that have been put forward to Government in the past have been taken on board.
Scott repeated that the bailout for the sugar industry is throwing good money after bad and called for the appointment of competent board of directors, along with the depoliticizing of the entity.
He also sought to rebut Ali’s and said that he “regaled us with numbers and give the illusion that employment is being created but why then the Americans say there is 49 percent of youths are unemployed.”
Referring to the more than $3B earmarked for the Guyana Power and Light and reminded that the Company is yet to provide the details on how the previous bailouts were used and what subsequent benefits “we cannot support any bailout for this entity.”
Government Speaker, Reverend Kwame Gilbert, said that it is a visionary budget, one that takes cognizance of present circumstances and points to the future.
He called it a “bold an ambitious road map to take us from where we are to where we need to be.”
According to Gilbert a budget should not be seen in isolation but rather a continuity of an agenda, “a road map that moves a country.”
According to the reverend, “anyone who dares to diminish or cut the budget is saying to Guyanese you do not deserve more you deserve less…there were no reductions, in every sector we have seen incremental increases in ever sector that is intended to address the immediate and future needs of our people.”
According to Gilbert the 2014 budget is not a panacea but it is a visionary roadmap that points to a future that is pregnant with potential.

---

---