The combined Opposition yesterday again voted against $79.6 million in four items of supplementary expenditure in Financial Paper 9/2011 and in reacting to this, Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh said that this was the acid test of the Opposition’s intention with regard to how they may treat an attempt by Government to restore the budget cuts.
A division was called for when the vote was taken and the Opposition defeated the Government benches 33 to 29, leading to the financial paper being rejected. Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh said that the Government will now contemplate what the next steps will be.
The current expenditure items voted against were a $25.5 million allocation to the Office of the President for the hosting of the national awards ceremony and other events of the