“Let good sense prevail” – multi-stakeholders urge parliamentarians as budget debate heats up

As parliamentarians continue debates on Budget 2013, on Wednesday President Donald Ramotar met civil society stakeholders to discuss the budget’s priorities and to garner their feedback. There was general consensus that this year’s budget is “a people’s budget”, “a consumers’ budget”, “one that addressed the vulnerable in society” and “one that can work”.
Among those present were the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), religious organisations, trade unions, and members of the legal fraternity.

Recommendations on several issues, that in the stakeholders’ perspectives need strengthening in the budget, were advanced, giving the government a clear idea of the stakeholders’ take of the government’s 2013 financial plan.
The PSC in particular is pleased that several of its recommendations were well received by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, and at Wednesday’s meeting, they used the occasion to highlight some outstanding areas.
Among them is the expansion of the Demerara Harbour Bridge to accommodate larger marine vessels and transformation of the University of Guyana.
The private sector is also supportive of electricity subsidy for the Linden community, but is of the view that an effective management structure is needed for that funding to be well spent.
The proposal to increase the town’s electricity tariff was shelved, and a review committee was set up after a violent protest in the town last year.
Minister Singh announced that Budget 2013 has allocated Gy$ 2.9 billion to meet the cost of maintaining the electricity subsidy in Linden and Kwakwani so that 10,363 electricity customers in Region 10 can continue to benefit from the current prevailing rates through the remainder of the year.
Former Toshao Yvonne Pearson, who represented the indigenous population, expounded on developments in hinterland communities, particularly in the area of physical infrastructure (roads, bridges and airstrips) that are important to the livelihood of the people.
Continuing development
Continuing the process of land titling and demarcation, funding of community development projects (CDPs), entrepreneurship and training of Amerindian youths, all of which have been catered for in this year’s budget, remain a priority for them. The passage of the national budget however, hinges on cooperation in a divided Parliament where the opposition has a one-seat combined majority that was used last year to reject budgetary allocations to key sectors, agencies and development projects.
The stakeholders are calling on parliamentarians to let good sense prevail this time around ,amid several utterances in the opposition camp to take a similar course of action.
“There has been a concern about constructive dialogue in Parliament. Everyone is concerned about that on both sides of the House, and I think civil society generally wants to ensure that Parliament engages in constructive criticism… so that we can emerge and not create any kind of fears in the society,” PSC member Ramesh Dookhoo, who was part of the meeting, said.
This year’s budget of Gy$208.8 billion covers among other things economic diversification and growth, expanded physical infrastructure, high quality social services, and environmental responsibility and sustainability.