National Assembly erupts over estimates for Constitutional Agencies

The first such agency on the agenda was the Audit Office which saw People’s Progressive Party MP Irfaan Ali leading a charge that he should be the person fielding questions on the Budget for the Audit Office since he is the Head of the Public Accounts Committee.

National Assembly erupts over estimates for Constitutional Agencies

A heated debate and division surfaced among government and opposition Members of Parliament on Thursday when attempts were made to consider the proposed estimates of expenditure for constitutional agencies.

The first such agency on the agenda was the Audit Office which saw People’s Progressive Party MP Irfaan Ali leading a charge that he should be the person fielding questions on the Budget for the Audit Office since he is the Head of the Public Accounts Committee.

He rejected the government’s move to have State Minister Joseph Harmon field questions for the agency.

Mr. Ali argued that this was specifically so since the audit office had to bring to the PAC its proposals, which the committee signed off on.

The contention from the government benches is that there should in fact be no debate on the estimates of expenditure for constitutional agencies.

Former House Speaker Raphael Trotman presented the government’s argument and said that there should be no questions or debate since the agencies were granted autonomy through recent amendments.

“The practice around the world is to lay the estimates, no debate, because the PAC already dealt with the issue. Yes there is a formality of a review, but no questions are asked,” Trotman said. He was partially supported in this position by the Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland.

Arguments from both sides of the House rolled on for just under one hour before Dr. Scotland asked on a recommendation from the Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo called a recess.

The Speaker was forced to shut down the Opposition Leader who demanded to add his voice to the debate after some 10 MPs from both sides had already argued the matter.

During the recess, the two sides selected members from both sides to meet and work out the issue.

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