Dear Editor,
There was a welcome return to a proven good governance practice during the week of 2nd January. It was signaled by a post on President Irfaan Ali’s official Facebook page, “President Dr. Irfaan Ali, today, joined officials of Government Ministries and Agencies at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre for a series of Budget 2022 meetings. President Ali was accompanied by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh” This type of exercise was introduced by (then) President Bharrat Jagdeo but was not continued by his successors, Ramotar and Granger. It became the norm for ministry officials to meet with a team of technocrats from the Ministry of Finance to sort through the submissions and finalize allocations.
When Ali and his most senior policymakers met with ministers and senior staff of their respective ministries, as a collective, during the budget preparation phase, it was characterized by intensive interrogation of Cabinet Ministers and senior staff. Public servants who have never witnessed such, must have been impressed with the attention to detail shown by the President. President Ali and His VP, Bharrat Jagdeo (PPP General Secretary), made policy promises on the 2018-2020 electoral campaign trails; it would be gratifying to see those promises kept, and those policies implemented and adhered to in the plans submitted for budgetary expenditure. The grilling sent a signal to senior public servants that ministers are not infallible, nor demi-gods above criticism. I look forward to Budget 2022 with eager anticipation.
Sincerely,
Robin Singh
