Dear Editor,
I believe it will be useful to remind ourselves of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) which is one of the framework laws that guide the process for the “Payment Authority” (see Section 31), “Payments from the Consolidated Funds” (see Section 52) and the “Accounting Procedures” (see Section 54) associated with all payments from the government coffers. It is from this basis that I concur and agree with the statements from Hon. Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo when he detailed that there is no need to enact new legislation at this time “to regulate the distribution of cash grants to Guyanese”. As a national personality that has over 31 years executive experience in the fiscal management of the Guyanese economy, Dr Jagdeo is more than qualified to understand and interpret the financial framework of Guyana. I am absolutely sure that he has taken into account the current legislative structure that exist in Guyana before he spoke.
It is unfortunate that some of those that seek to publicly pontificate on our laws are being insincere with their utterances, either by choice in order to deceive or just plain ignorant. Inexperience impedes the ability to seize the opportunity to fully frame the issues and layout the larger policy intervention required. Rather than using the “pointer broom to play with the sand”, it is best to layout their policy positions on what differentiates them from the current fiscal framework. I want to share my view on what the FMAA offers with respect to the cash grant payout:
1. There is something called “entitlement payment” in the law that clearly defines it as a payment to any person “who meets eligibility criteria”. The cash grant is one such one-off payment – the policy makers made a public commitment to pay G$100,000 to all Guyanese over 18 years of age, at home and abroad. We know who is eligible and we know the eligibility criteria. If we are to listen carefully to what Dr. Jagdeo said on the issue, to avoid the pitfalls of the past, he is driving the programme to make more of these payments to persons with bank account (where possible). This is a positive development. There is no need for another law.
2. Under the law the Ministry of Finance under Section 8 (2) of the FMAA is responsible for the “operations of the payment system”.
3. Under the law the Ministry of Finance under Section 11 of the FMAA is responsible for the “processing of the payment orders”.
4. Under the law the Ministry of Finance under Part IV of the FMAA is responsible for the “Budget Appropriation, Approval and Control” in order to make way for public moneys to be PAID to the public.
We can therefore conclude that we should allow the professionals in the Ministry of Finance to do their jobs and if you have any concerns, then build up your own internal monitoring mechanism to expose any perceived or real skullduggery and expose it in the media. As a citizen of Guyana, I encourage us all to follow the law and allow the Ministry of Finance to lead on this project, to avoid any of the past pitfalls that occurred such as Flood Relief Grant payments that did cause some anxieties for some legitimate beneficiaries. As a nation, we must learn from the mistakes made on the Flood Relief Grant payments.
Do not take my word for it, one of the most experienced financial policy experts in Guyana, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had cause to express his displeasure to the media on October 4, 2021 at the Rose Hall Ground in Canje when he said he would personally ensure the mechanism was more responsive to ensure that “formal investigation into persons who should not be on the list” is done. The Hon. Vice President did highlight that “there was some unscrupulous acts by a few seeking to undermine the successful rollout of a carefully thought out support program”. Let us remain positive and let us all stand together to support the Ministry of Finance in this upcoming project; they are best suited to lead in this endeavour.
In conclusion, an elected government has the right to implement its policies within the constraints of its legal framework and the mandate given to it by the electorate. This right is essential for several reasons: Democratic Mandate: An elected government derives its authority from the people, and its policies are a reflection of its electoral promises and its vision for the country’s development. Economic Management: Governments need the flexibility to respond to economic challenges and opportunities. This includes the ability to adjust spending priorities as needed. Public Service Delivery: Governments are responsible for providing essential public services. However, this right is not absolute. There must be checks and balances in place to ensure that Governments use their power responsibly including the need to always independently audit the project to ensure that the law, regulation and processes were followed appropriately.
Sincerely,
Sasenarine Singh
Citizen of Guyana