Up to press time this morning, the estimates of the 2015 budget were still being considered in what will go do down as one of the more grueling examinations of the annual presentation.
The government had set a maximum of three days for the consideration of the estimates but the opposition PPP/C which had vehemently objected to this seemed intent on ensuring that three days would not do.
Deliberations on the estimates was proceeding up to 1 am today. Once the estimates were completed the budget appropriations bill would be tabled for approval and the 2015 budget would have officially been approved. It is unclear whether this would be completed this morning or deferred.
The budget debate and the consideration of the estimates have unveiled an aggressive posture by the opposition PPP/C to ensure that the government is kept on its toes.
On Monday, proceedings were delayed for four hours after the PPP/C charged that the format of the estimates breached two vital pieces of legislation just recently passed by the APNU+AFC administration.
After exhaustive exchanges it was agreed that changes would be made to the estimates to enable the process to move forward.
Finance Minister Winston Jordan was to move a motion before the close of today’s proceedings on the restructuring of the estimates.
The passage of the budget would be the first in 24 years by a non-PPP/C government.
