Budget fails to address key issues, says Dr Roopnaraine

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Vice Chairman Dr Rupert Roopnaraine in assessing the 2013 national budget said it failed to address key problems in the ailing sugar and electricity industries among other sectors.
While addressing the Parliament on Monday, he campaigned for government to establish long-term developmental plans while tackling key problems that plague the country.

“There is no overall sense of the Finance Ministry developing and rationalising options, selecting best options according to clearly articulated criteria and then proposing priorities,” he contended.
Dr Roopnaraine said if such a system was in place since last year then the minister would have reported on the targets achieved for 2012. The APNU Member of Parliament noted that the actual performances against these targets, explanations for surpluses or shortfalls and rationale for adjustments, should have been rolled out when Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh presented this year’s budget in the National Assembly on March 25.
These explanations, he posited, would have justified the 2013 budget estimation.
Danger of incoherence
“In the absence of such a systematic approach, there is a danger of incoherence, in the sense that proposals in some sectors operate directly against other sectors or intentions,” Dr Roopnaraine told the House.
He acknowledged that the exceptional growth of the mining sector led by the surge in gold production will not only lead to a growth in the economy but would give rise to new challenges.
It was also noted that 10 to 20 million ounces of gold reserves are estimated to be located collectively in licensed areas in Guyana.
Additionally, between 2014 and 2016, it is anticipated that large-scale gold mines would be developed by Aurora on the Cuyuni River.
Simultaneously, it is hoped that manganese mine at Matthews Ridge and a new bauxite mine at Bonasika on the lower Essequibo River would soon come into operation, the APNU MP pointed out.
“Each of these developments is estimated to be as large as the Omai mine was. What are the implications?” he asked.
Advising the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on the way forward, Dr Roopnaraine said such rapid development would require commensurate responsibilities of monitoring, while noting that a risk management unit is also key in such a development.
“I see no evidence that the government is as alert to the challenges as they need to be and appears to have limited hope of overcoming them. The University of Guyana, technical institutes, and trade schools would need to be given the resources so as to produce the skills that these new mines will demand.” He stated that the titling of select hinterland mining communities should be made a priority.
Dr Roopnaraine noted that many mining set tlements are still classified as unorganised.
“Miners have settled in areas like Kurupung, Imbaimadai, Mahdia, and Issano and they should be granted long-term residential and business titles.”
In addition, he advocated for fair treatment to be meted out to all miners and companies within the sector, whether they are from Brazil, Canada, Russia, China, the United States of America or Guyana.
As he shifted his focus to the agriculture sector, the APNU parliamentarian added that the financial affairs of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) have been on the ‘top burner’ recently.
Roopnaraine also questioned why funds from the European Union (EU) are not being dedicated towards the sugar industry.
“Between 2006, when the compensation payments from the EU began, and 2012, Guyana took possession of G$ 24.7 billion. Why should GuySuCo be in such a near terminal condition?” However, Dr Roopnaraine did praise the Agriculture Ministry for the growth in the rice industry.