Reduction of time on Constitutional Agencies’ budget debate unreasonable …Just over two hours not enough-Jagdeo

Nov 02, 2018 News

When it comes to the consideration of the 2019 estimates of the nation’s 16 Constitutional Agencies, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo finds it unreasonable that Members of Parliament (MPs) will only have 10 minutes for statements and questions per Constitutional Agency.
He expressed this during a press conference held yesterday at his Church Street Office.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

Jagdeo said that last year, it was agreed among members of the Business Sub-Committee that while the Constitutional Agencies have the independence to set their own budgets, it does not mean that a debate on the proposals is prohibited. In this vein, it was agreed that Parliamentarians would take 20 minutes per agency to ask any question and provide statements.
“Lo and behold, they hurriedly convened a committee meeting on Wednesday and they decided to reduce the time to 10 minutes per agency and so we will have just over two hours to consider the budget for the Constitutional Agencies in Guyana without having the ability to debate those submissions.”
The Opposition Leader also said that there seems to be a quiet move to infringe on the rights of Parliamentarians to properly question the Government’s reasons for cutting the budgets of the Constitutional Agencies.
“And unfortunately, the (House) Speaker (Dr. Barton Scotland) aids this process of infringing on the rights of MPs who are elected by the people to look out for their interests…,” an impassioned Jagdeo added.
It was in 2015 that a significant piece of legislation geared at allowing key bodies financial independence was passed in the National Assembly.
That legislation was the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill 2015. It allows for lump sum payments to be made to constitutional agencies thereby making them free from the automatic obligations and the discretionary powers exercised by the Minister of Finance.
Minister of Finance Winston Jordan had explained that there are checks and balances in place to ensure that abuse does not take place, as annual reports and audited financial statements will be required to be prepared and presented.
Jordan made it clear that the bodies must enjoy fiscal autonomy so that they can serve the Guyanese people. He said that it will prevent the executive from micro-managing the finances of budgetary agencies. Under previous arrangements, the bodies were at the mercy of the ministries, having to apply for simple things like monies to travel. The new arrangements serve to boost public confidence in the offices.