Georgetown- While it welcomes the announcements by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh that old age pensioners will get a further increase from $8,100 to $10,000 monthly and those by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on the liberalization of television especially for residents of Linden, the Alliance for Change recommits to the judicious trimming of the 2012 national budget.
In a release to the press the party stated that it is clear that these recent announcements are as a result of the no-nonsense approach taken by the AFC during the debates and Motions tabled in the House to trim away 'pork-barrel' projects that give way to sweet-heart deals between the government and its cronies.
It was the AFC's position during the budget debate, that judicious cuts be made to the allocations for various areas of the government's bureaucracy. This was with the intention of finding the money to provide a decent increase to Old Age Pension and Social Assistance.
The Party, which has seven seats in the National Assembly, had tabled a Motion aimed at using the "scissors" on questionable projects and bureaucratic 'fat-cats', especially high-salaried contract employees, to find money for the poor and disadvantaged.
The PPP/C Government was squarely condemned for offering only a meagre $600 per month increase on Old Age Pension and has since buckled under pressure to compromise and find the further $1,900 for old age pension.
During the 2011 Elections campaign, the AFC had promised senior citizens a $10,000 old age pension package and the Party is pleased that its militancy during the budget debate forced the government to reconsider its position.
If supported, the recent Motion by the AFC could have seen some $3billion is taxpayers money being diverted away from exorbitantly priced projects that are often done below standards into the pockets of low income earners.
During the debate, AFC Member of Parliament Cathy Hughes spoke fearlessly of the excessive allocations for NCN and GINA and made it clear that the AFC will move to cut such waste of taxpayers dollars.
The party said that It is clear that the Prime Minister's announcement was made in the hope that the AFC will change its position on NCN and GINA. The AFC explained that it will not deviate from its position even though it may be the only opposition party to take this stand. The Party is convinced that allocations for these two agencies can be better utilized.
The AFC announced to the public only last weekend that the government was looking to buy-out members of the opposition. Recent developments and backroom deals now leave more questions than answers and like the members of the public and a few members of the smaller parties within APNU, we are beginning to question what is taking place behind the closed door at the Office of the President.
In the meantime, the AFC thanks the many persons who called to express their appreciation for what the Party was able to achieve for the senior citizens and wishes to assure the nation that the Party will remain vigilant and question all government excesses.
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