Government calls out Opposition over claims that it reduced allocations to Constitutional agencies

As the government prepares for the debate on the estimates for the Constitutional Agencies, it has issued a statement claiming that only the Guyana Elections Commission’s requested expenditure was reduced.

Government calls out Opposition over claims that it reduced allocations to Constitutional agencies

The Guyana Government on Wednesday rejected as baseless and false claims by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party’s that the proposed budget estimates for several constitutional agencies in 2017 are a reduction from what was requested and the sums approved in 2016.

On Monday, the PPP slighted the government’s push for early presentation of 2017 National Budget, calling the move inexplicable and unwarranted.

Earlier this month, the government presented budget estimates for Constitutional Agencies ahead of the National Budget which is expected by December.

The opposition, however found fault with the estimates for the financially autonomous bodies even before those estimates were debated at a sitting slated for Thursday.

As the government prepares for the debate on the estimates for the Constitutional Agencies, it has issued a statement pointing out that only the Guyana Elections Commission’s requested expenditure was reduced.

The government said it must be noted that the law allows it to recommend reasonable amounts for constitutional bodies in keeping with what is affordable.

The government explained that the reason for the reduced allocation to GECOM is completely logical and eminently sensible since 2015 and 2016 were election years and 2017 is not an election year.

In the case of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal and the Judicial Service Commission, the Government said the budgeted amounts for 2016 and 2017 are the same.

Additionally, it said there is a new head the Public Procurement Commission which has been provisionally allocated $76.2 million in the 2017 Budget estimates for its establishment and functioning.

Therefore, the Coalition Government is recommending INCREASES in the 2017 budget estimates for 12 of the 16 constitutional agencies.

The Coalition calls on the Opposition PPP to act responsibly and to desist from willfully seeking to mislead the Guyanese public and using the constitutional agencies for political theater.

“During its tenure in office, notoriously under the governments of Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar, a stubborn refusal was shown to giving block sums to bodies such as the judiciary. They never amended the law to allow this,” the statement added.

The Opposition had also withheld its support for early presentation of the, claiming that if the budget is presented before 2017 and before the 2016 fiscal year is complete it will place its MPs at a disadvantage during the budget debates.

The PPP reasons that it will not be able to examine and compare the actual expenditure for 2016 since the 2017 budget will be presented and debated while the 2016 budget is still being implemented.

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