Georgetown: The National Assembly will this Thursday meet and debate whether it should approve some $5.7B which has been expended from the Contingencies Fund during the last quarter of 2011 but despite the opposition believing that the money was utilized illegally they will have no option but to vote in favour of its approval.
The Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Friday last tabled the Financial Papers and signalled to the Speaker that he would like to have the consideration be done this Thursday.
The Opposition will however have to vote for its approval given that should they vote negatively the Contingencies Fund will not be able to be replenished.
Should the opposition vote negatively some $5.7B will not be returned to the Contingencies Fund as replenishment.
For several years now the Opposition Parties in the House have been lamenting the manner with which the money is used.
According to the Auditor General for several years now the contingencies fund continue to be abused with withdrawals that does not fit the criteria for its disbursements.
Under the expenditures for which approval will be sought the Office of the Prime Minister’s Electrification Programme an additional $491.6M was sought in addition to the more than $6B already allocated.
The Ministry of Public Works and Communication received an additional $2.6B in addition to the $366M already received for the Acquisition of Ferries.
The Office of the President was also advanced some $25.5M for National and Other Events and according to the Financial Paper the Money is a provision for expenditure associated with the conferment of National Awards and other events hosted by the State.
This is in addition to the $8.7M already allocated to the Office of the President for such expenditures.
At the Office of the Prime Minister approval is being sought for in excess of $1.5B expenditure in addition to $100M already allocated for Subsidies and Contributions to Local Organization.
The Financial Paper explains that the money is a provision for additional subsidy to the Lethem Power Company ($33.7M) and the Guyana Power and Light $1.5B for the purchase of fuel for its continued operations.
The Guyana Police Force is also listed for a range of activities related to the 2011 General and Regional Election including $4M to pay rent for radio sets as well as an additional $90.6M for feeding rural constables that worked on Election Day as well as police ranks and intensified police patrols.
Alliance For Change Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan, is on record as saying “While it is alright for the Government to spend monies from the Contingencies Fund and then seek approval after, the supplementary provisions that are sought for each year demonstrate the fact that the budget every year is deceitful.”
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