People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive Juan Edghill yesterday condemned government plans to initiate Budget 2020 but the Ministry of Finance (MoF) justified its actions, saying it is simply planning.
“The Budget process follows an established timetable. I’m not aware of anything in the law that stops government from initiating the process for Budget 2020. There are essential services that Budget Agencies must continue to plan for, such as education, health…regardless of what the future holds,” MoF’s Public Relations Officer, Wanita Huburn yesterday told Stabroek News.
“For example, I’m sure you would agree that children must continue to go to school and therefore, the sector must continue to plan to improve and develop regardless of which government is in power,” she added. The MoF on Friday issued a circular to all heads of agencies to prepare submissions of their internal budgets. The correspondence included MoF’s planned milestones and submission deadlines for Budget 2020.
Included in the milestones, is a November 25, 2019 date for the budget’s issuance to Cabinet. “Issuance of Budget Circular, Jun 21st 2019. Receipt by Ministry of Finance (MOF) of budget submissions from all Budget Agencies, August 7, 2019. Presentation of Budget of Constitutional Agencies before the National Assembly, October 10, 2019. Submis-sion of draft Budget proposal to Cabinet by the Minister of Finance, October 29, 2019. Issuance of Cabinet Decision on Budget Proposal, November 5, 2019. Presentation of Budget Proposal before the National Assembly, November 25, 2019,” the Circular states.
Edghill said that the PPP/C is calling on the Heads of Agencies to not adhere to the circular, as the Caribbean Court of Justice’s recent ruling validates the December 21, 2018 No Confidence Motion and the government is thus illegal.
“This letter that was sent to all Heads of Budget Agencies and Departments including Constitutional Bodies came 8 days after a definitive and explicit ruling from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and in the face of the operationalization of Articles 106 (6) and (7) of the Constitution. Is someone being delusional or is it plain stubbornness? Or maybe it is a mentality that is being exposed that this Government believes that it can continue to hang on to power indefinitely. How desperate can one be? So the charade continues, they used an argument of the ‘34 majority theory’ to implement the 2019 Budget and now they hope to use the argument of House to House Registration to buy themselves more time so that they can formulate, prepare and present a 2020 Budget,” he stated.
“The Minister of Finance who stood resigned on December 21, 2018 is presumptuously pursuing a path of provocation by causing this circular No. 7/2019 to be issued. I hereby call on all Heads of Budget Agencies, Permanent Secretaries, Regional Executive Officers and Heads of Constitutional Bodies to familiarize themselves with the rulings of the CCJ which are available on their official website. Do not be bullied!” he added.
Edghill said that the PPP/C will not allow the call for budget proposals to go unchecked as the party thinks government should only be acting in a “caretaker” position at this time.
“No caretaker Government which is the current status of this Granger-led Coalition should be allowed to be this blatant and disrespectful in its conduct. To pursue this illegality is to create an environment for collision and confrontation rather than conciliation and preserving the wellbeing of our people,” he stated.
Explaining that the provisions of this country’s Fiscal Management and Accountability Act provide for a Budget by the first quarter of every new year, he said that he believes that there was no crisis situation that warranted it being done before. “The provisions in the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act provide for a Budget by March/April, 2020; there is no crisis,” Edghill contended.
“A Budget which defines the vision, priorities and programmes for the prosperity and development of all the people of Guyana by a Government that is legal, constitutional and democratically elected through free and fair elections, is the only one that will be accepted,” he added.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said that since December 22, 2018, government should have resigned and thus, no contracts or policy decisions should have been made.
Jagdeo said that provisions would be made for the continuation of necessary services for Guyana’s citizens. He has warned that his party would not adhere to any of the decisions made by the APNU+AFC government any time after the vote was passed, should they win the next General Elections.
