Slash and burn

I listened intently to a television discussion last Sunday on Channel 28 sponsored through the auspices of the USAID LEAD Programme. The participants were Messrs Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC and Carl Greenidge, the finance spokesperson for APNU. Even for a jaded ex-politician like me, the discussion was extremely interesting. Both men spoke about their parties’ approaches to the Budget Estimates and the reasoning underlying any disapprovals they may apply. While both were equally articulate, Carl Greenidge offered the theoretical basis on which he expected the Budget to be constructed. As one of Guyana’s ablest and most experienced economists who has himself spent seven years in the hot seat as Minister of Finance, with vast international economic experience, his explanations were informative. It was a pity that the government did not participate.

At the same time, few in Guyana could have matched the competence, articulation and argumentation of Minister Ashni Singh in presenting the 2014 Budget and defending the Estimates. Since his first hesitant steps as Minister of Finance, he has grown into an assured professional with a firm grasp of his portfolio and a masterful