The government today tabled financial papers to cover almost $14B in expenditure in a move to restore allocations cut from this year’s national budget, including subsidies for the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), the state-media agencies and salaries for contracted workers at Office of the President (OP).
Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh today tabled financial papers 1/2012 and 2/2012, which will come up for debate next week Thursday.
The papers seek current and capital expenditure for GPL, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Government Information Agency (GINA), the National Communications Network (NCN) and OP, some of which was cut by the parliamentary opposition APNU and AFC, during the consideration of the budget estimates earlier in the year.
The monies sought also cover payments in relation to climate change, expenditure for the 2011 Claims and Objections period and other payments related to elections, and to meet the additional costs associated with the increase in Old Age pension from $8,100 per month to $10,000 per month.
In April, the opposition effected over $20B in cuts from the budget, citing a lack of transparency and accountability in the explanations for the allocations. The government later moved to restore through an action in the High Court. Although finding that the National Assembly did not have the power to cut the budget, acting Chief Justice Ian Chang last month, in an interim ruling, said the court could not restore the funds, except for allocations to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) to perform its constitutional duties.
