By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon holds the strong view that the current budget dilemma could be handled without snap elections being called.
Shortly after his post cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, April 23 Dr Luncheon told reporters that while elections are a possibility, he believes that the issues being experienced with the budget cuts could be ironed out.
“I for one feel that this issue of the non approval of funding can indeed be addressed without the resort to elections,” the government spokesperson said.
The country’s 2014 budget was reduced by $37.4B from $220B, as a result of the combined parliamentary opposition using its one seat majority and voted against funding for a number of government agencies.
The budget cuts issue has been ongoing since 2012 and reached the Courts, which saw the Chief Justice ruling that the Opposition does not have the power to cut the budget, but to only approve or disapprove funding for various sectors.
The Cabinet Secretary noted that the government will not be able to function effectively without adequate funds. As a result of the budget reduction, sections of society have been calling for snap elections. The power lies with the government to call general elections.
