While the opposition cannot add to the National Budget set to be delivered by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh on Friday, Leader of the Opposition David Granger says with the new dispensation in Parliament an avenue for real debate had been created.
“This time there will be real budget debate,” Granger told Stabroek News yesterday in an invited comment and pointed out that what passed in previous sessions for debates was “farcical” He said while the opposition cannot add to what will be presented by the Government it is the legislative branch that has to approve the proposed expenditures. Under the rules of Parliament only the government can introduce measures which impact on the Consolidated Fund.
The opposition had hoped to have a meaningful contribution to the country’s proposed estimates of expenditure through tripartite talks but this has not materialised with the last attempt on