Government early Wednesday morning blasted the political opposition for voting down the entire transport section budgetary allocation of Gy$ 5.6 billion for the Public Works Ministry.
It was “profoundly disappointing” Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said. He was joined by other top government officials at a media briefing immediately following the combined opposition’s cut. The minister outlined the areas such as the Ogle International Airport expansion project, the purchasing of key equipment for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the CJIA expansion project along with repairs and maintenance to hinterland airstrips that would be adversely affected.
The fact that the opposition still went ahead with the proposed cuts was ridiculous, he said, given the fact that all questions asked, were answered and any additional information requested would have been provided.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh noted that the opposition should have been able to use its one-seat majority in a responsible manner, instead of resorting to a most irresponsible display of what he described as their “Tyranny of a one-seat majority”.
Minister Singh said that the initial cuts targeted the CJIA expansion project, which is a bi-lateral agreement with the Chinese government, via a legally binding contract which had already been passed in the National Assembly in 2012 by the same opposition members. This latest move by the opposition penalises the Guyanese public, he added, and is extremely disappointing.
A total of Gy$ 5.3 billion was budgeted for the upgrade, expansion and modernisation of the CJIA through the construction of a new terminal building, aprons, airbridges, taxiways and the extension of the runway by a further 3500 feet. A motion filed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Carl Greenidge was found to have a higher amount stated to be cut than what was actually budgeted for the CJIA project. This was pointed out by government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira and after a short recess to determine the admissibility of the motion; the Speaker ruled that it was inadmissible.
The Alliance For Change (AFC) had prior given notice of their intention to cut the said project and coincidentally their motion was ruled inadmissible as well.
The options open to the opposition were either to cancel the motion to cut or cut the entire air transport sector. In their bid to ensure the CJIA project is completely stymied, they agreed to cut the entire transport programme. Dr Singh had prior to the opposition’s action pleaded with them to review the cuts, and stated that during 2012 consideration of the estimates, they had voted in favour of more than Gy$ 4.5 billion for the mobilisation of the same project.
This project was intended to provide Guyana with the infrastructure to accommodate the widest variety of aircraft type, and become an international travel hub.
Ego, hatred prevailed over patriotism
Benn was questioned on what studies informed the decision to proceed with the CJIA project, and he stated that a good deal of the relevant information was already provided to the opposition members. A feasibility study that was done took into account capacity constraints and runway length among other factors to accommodate bigger aircraft.
The Gy$ 248 million allocated for the rehabilitation of airstrips in Matthews Ridge, Imbaimadai and Kamarang and the maintenance of 43 airstrips in Regions One, Two, Seven, Eight and Nine, and the Gy$ 80 million to be spent to procure an Automated Dependent Surveillance Broadcast to bring precision and reliability of satellite-based surveillance to Guyana’s national airspace were slashed as well. The servicing of the European Union (EU) loan for the Ogle aerodrome modernisation was also affected.
Gail Teixeira
