By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – President Donald Ramotar says the motive of the combined opposition is questionable with regard to its criticism surrounding the $4.5B Statement of Excess that was tabled in the House recently by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh.
The Head of State maintains that the money was spent in keeping with constitutional provisions even as he recalled that the same was done in 2012 and 2013, subsequent to the budget cuts.
“Why are they plugging this line that it is unconstitutional… they voted for it in the past, why now?” Ramotar queried.
The Opposition had expressed its displeasure; noting that the administration continues to spend money without Approval from the House.
“The Executive’s worst display of contempt for Parliamentary democracy was Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh’s submission of a Statement of Excess to the National Assembly last week. This indicated that the Executive had already spent more than $4.5B of the $31B that the Opposition had disapproved in the debate on the National Budget in March and April this year. The move is contemptuous,” Opposition’s Chief Whip Amna Ally said on Friday.
Ally was supported by her MP Colleague Joseph Harmon who said “it is an abuse and an affront. The government must understand that it is the people’s money and they sit in a position of trust and they must behave in that manner.
Harmon added “it is wrong for any administration to treat the public purse as if it is their money.”
The AFC had also expressed concerns with the spending by the Finance Minister and claimed it was illegal.
The Head of State maintains that the monies were needed, reiterating that there seems to be a sinister agenda behind the opposition criticisms.
Ramotar pointed to article 218:3 of the constitution to support his argument that the spending was legal.
