Leader of the Opposition David Granger says he has agreed in principle to meet the Private Sector Commission (PSC) over its concerns about the $21 billion budget cuts but intends to take its request to the executives of the APNU before confirming.
This is following a letter that the PSC wrote to Granger, seeking an audience and an explanation of the cuts and to have him hear the views of the PSC.
Speaking to the Stabroek News recently, Granger said, “I have to consult first with the [leadership of the APNU]. But we intend to accept [the invitation].”
The PSC last week said it was seeking an audience with Granger, President Donald Ramotar and the PPP/C with regard to the $21 billion in cuts made to the $192.8 billion 2012.
Asked last week whether President Ramotar would be responding to the PSC’s letter, Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira said that she was not aware whether Ramotar would be responding.
A source within the PSC said that the cuts will have an immense affect the private sector. “We had a meeting on Friday and the PSC is very concerned about the cuts and the effect that they will have on the growth and development of the private sector,” that source said.
The source identified the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project as one of those that would directly affect the fortunes of the private sector now that it has been cut. Some $170 million was axed from the one laptop programme.
“Our biggest concern is the LCDS and the second biggest one is the cuts made from the one laptop per family project.
We believe if the latter programme was stopped, it would affect human resources,” the PSC official said last week.
The PSC also suggested said that if the opposition parties have issues with the way the National Communications Network and the Government Information Agency are run, then they should talk to the government about those issues.
The PSC is of the view that the Multi-stakeholder Forum, which had been activated after the two massacres in Lusignan and Bartica in 2008, could play a role in bringing together opinions on the current issues of the budget and the repercussions of the cuts.
The source believes that Civil Society could also put pressure on the government and the opposition to represent the interest of the private sector with regard to the budget.
During the examination of the 2012 estimates last month, the opposition made cuts to allocations for the National Communications Network (NCN) ($81.2 million cut), the Government Information Agency (GINA) ($130.4), the Guyana Elections Commission ($527 million), Office of the President ($150 million, $345 million), and Office of the Prime Minister ($6 billion).
