Next Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly will see the government being asked about expenses incurred in relation to a series of presidential inauguration events.
Former Minister of Culture Dr Frank Anthony is the opposition PPP/C MP who will be asking the questions and Junior Education Minister Nicolette Henry is to supply the answers.
During the consideration of the budget estimates this year, similar questions were asked but the PPP/C was not satisfied with the oral answers that were provided by Henry. According to the Order Paper circulated by Parliament Office, Anthony will be seeking a detailed list of all costs incurred in relation to, and in preparation for, the presidential inauguration events held at the Public Buildings, at the Independence Arch at Brickdam, at the National Stadium at Providence, at the Pegasus Hotel, and elsewhere, including the clean-up campaign that preceded them. He is also seeking answers on the source of funding to meet the costs, a detailed list giving the nature and total value of contributions made and when an audited statement of the expenditure incurred will be available and tabled in this National Assembly.
Ironically, Anthony himself had been the target of frequent questions by APNU and AFC MPs about the extent of spending for the 2008 Carifesta here, the 2007 Cricket World Cup and the construction of the Guyana National Stadium at Providence. He had been minister at the time. To date, full details and reports on these ventures have not been provided. Anthony had also faced numerous questions over the operations of the Caribbean Press publishing house. Thursday’s sitting will also see a series of questions to Minister of Finance Winston Jordan about spending by the APNU+AFC government on the rice and sugar industries and the source of these funds.
President David Granger is also scheduled to address the sitting.
