A Partnership for National Unity yesterday said that the one of the three financial papers tabled last Thursday and which will be debated at the next sitting of Parliament is contemptuous since it brings back items cut from the budget and said that Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh should be censured.
Financial paper 1/2013, the focus of the APNU statement, is for a total of $3.384 billion in current and capital expenditure and is a statement of excess for the period ending December 31, 2013.
In terms of current estimates, it seeks a provision of $217.1 million as subsidies and contributions to local organisations – with $81.3 million for the National Communications Network (NCN) and $135.8 million for the Government Information Agency (GINA). Under capital expenditure, the financial paper seeks $34.4 million for the specialty hospital and $65.4 million for the modernization of the Cheddi Jagan Inter-national Airport, Timehri among other allocations.
In a statement yesterday, Minister Singh cited the Constitution, applicable laws and the interim decision by acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on the legality of the budget cuts of 2012.
“The financial papers submitted and the related items of expenditure reflected therein, have been done within the boundaries of the Consti-tution and other applicable Laws of Guyana and under the authority of relevant decisions of the Courts of Guyana,” said Dr. Singh.
“The financial papers were presented to the National Assembly in keeping with due and prescribed process. The APNU will have ample opportunity to discuss and debate the items contained within those papers when they come up for consideration by the Assembly,” said Dr. Singh.
In the statement APNU noted that Minister of Finance tabled three financial papers that will be considered at the next sitting of the National Assembly on November 21, 2013. “After an initial review of these papers APNU warns that the Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh has shown flagrant disrespect and contempt for the National Assembly,” said the statement from APNU.
It charged that the Finance Minister has “consistently exhibited such a pattern of disregard” for resolutions passed by the National Assembly.
“APNU notes that even though the National Assembly did not approve monies for certain agencies the Minister of Finance flagrantly disregarded the decisions taken by the Legislative Branch and unlawfully disbursed the funds,” APNU said. “For example the sums of monies that were not approved for the National Communications Network (NCN) and Government Information Agency (GINA), these sums and more were disbursed to these agencies by the Minister,” the statement said.
APNU said that in the coming days it will provide in greater detail “the instances of contempt found in the review of Financial Papers Number 1/2013, 2/2013 and 3/2013.”
“The People’s Progres-sive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration continues to condone a pattern of disregard for decisions made by the National Assembly. APNU strongly advises that Financial Paper Number 1/2013 is contemptuous and the Minister of Finance Mr. Ashni Singh needs to be censured,” the statement from APNU said.
