President Donald Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh and Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira in discussion with leader of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) David Granger and members Rupert Roopnarine and Carl Greenidge
Government on Wedneday agreed to increase the Old Age Pension from Gy$ 8100 per month to Gy$ 10, 000 with effect from May 1 following talks on the 2012 National Budget with Opposition Leader David Granger. The meeting was held at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive after a request was made by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Volda Lawrence for government to consider meeting with the main opposition party to consider potentially problematic and questionable areas of the budget that may not benefit from the support of the 33-seat opposition block in Parliament.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, who formed part of the government’s delegation headed by President, Donald Ramotar explained that the administration has always been open to receiving the views and inputs of opposition parliamentary parties and stakeholders who can play a part in guiding government’s policies, lending assistance so that Guyana can realise its developmental aspirations.
Dr Singh, speaking during an interview with Guyana Times International, said even though the administration had cleared the way and invited written submissions from the parliamentary opposition about concerns related to the budget and economic issues; no such information was forthcoming at the level of the inter-party dialogue.
“The Parliament is the place in which the estimates are considered in their fullness, and so we know there would be an opportunity here for us to allow the numbers to be scrutinised, to provide explanations and clarification and to put the numbers to vote,” Dr Singh explained.
Positivity
Opposition Leader David Granger and President Donald Ramotar greet each other prior to their meeting at the Office of the President on Wednesday
He said that the meetings were conducted in a “cordial” manner with an atmosphere of “respect” and “positivity”, while noting that he was encouraged about the fruits that could arise from such genuine engagements once both sides understand each other’s positions, as well as the practicability of the desired changes that are being requested.
The finance minister said that the move to increase the Old Age Pension after government had already increased it from Gy$ 7500 to Gy$ 8100 would have a significant impact on the budget, explaining that “additional expenditure” is being incurred. He said that the experts within his ministry will now have to examine the methods through which the increase will be funded.
He hopes that the same level of understanding that dominated the negotiations between the president, the government and the opposition would be reflected in the positions taken when the estimates are considered before the 65-seat Parliament over the next few days.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader David Granger appeared satisfied with the outcome of the meeting with President Ramotar. Speaking with this publication on the corridors of Parliament, Granger said the purpose of the meeting was to ensure that the budget met what the APNU referred to as “the will of the people or their general interest”.
The APNU chairman said that he registered concerns over issues which he believed affected the Guyanese people in a negative way that the budget must address, before being passed into law and approved by the House. He disclosed that negotiations were not only restricted to the Old Age Pension but included other issues, such as the conditions of service of public servants, salaries and wages for workers and the state of affairs at the University of Guyana.
“These matters were placed on the table… that would require the attention and review of the government in APNU’s estimation before any budget is approved.” Asked whether it was safe to say that the APNU and the government were working together in the interest of the Guyanese people, Granger responded by explaining that it was the opposition and government that met, as he also represented the views of the Alliance For Change (AFC). Granger acknowledged that meetings were held between the APNU and the AFC, noting that he is aware of the demands of the minority opposition party and would undertake to see that they are met.
“In fact, by the end of this process, we are committed to arriving at a negotiated settlement of all of the concerns of the AFC and APNU,” he said.
Wanted more
Questioned further as to the level of satisfaction on the outcome of the discussions with respect to Old Age Pension, the retired brigadier said that while he may have wanted more, he remains satisfied that some improvements were secured for the elderly.
“Well, in politics and economics, you never get total satisfaction for the things you asked for and we are aware of the size of the budget and we do not feel that it is possible to increase the size of the budget,” he opined. The opposition leader said that the APNU was willing to work with government to look to see “which parts of the budget could be modified to provide funds for the things we feel are of greater importance,” he said. “We have to go talk and compromise,” he said, emphasising that the coalition is not interested in “dismissing public servants… stopping the work of government, but rather to address transparency and accountability”.
With regards to the issues that were discussed, Granger said they were 10 in total. He did not dispute that the contentious issues of the Value Added Tax and the funds derived from the operations of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) were discussed, but disclosed that “no agreement” was had on the matters.
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