Johann Earle

US Regional Environmental Officer Indran J Amirthanayagam believes that the ordinary person still does not sufficiently understand what REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is, and this must change if they are to contribute to sustainable development in countries like Guyana.

Head of the Privatisation Unit, Winston Brassington says he is prepared to be questioned by any parliamentary committee and would resign if the Opposition produces evidence to substantiate its assertions of corruption in the operations of the government holding company NICIL.

Parliament last night carried an opposition motion resolving to remove the Judiciary from under the ambit of a budget agency but a bill needs to be tabled in order to amend the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) to make this possible.

With the budget debates and the examination of the estimates out of the way, government will be proceeding with its legislative agenda in the National Assembly, Presidential Advisor on Governance and PPP/C MP Gail Teixeira has said.

Photos by Anjuli Persaud Popular Indian playback singer Sonu Nigam delivered a stirring performance on the tarmac of the Guyana National Stadium Saturday night to a crowd estimated at thousands, belting out a potpourri of old and new songs.

Budget 2012 was approved yesterday in the Committee of Supply of the Parliament minus a sum of $20.8 billion cut by the one-seat majority Opposition comprising the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), both of whom signalled their willingness to approve at a later date the funds now being withheld once Government addresses concerns over the allocations.

-GINA, NCN, Gecom among affected In a ground-breaking move yesterday, the combined opposition voted against expenditures in the 2012 budget to the tune of $2.233 billion, including $1 billion from an allocation of $6 billion for the Guyana Power and Light and sums allocated to GINA and NCN in what was a boisterous session which is set to continue today when the budget comes up for a final vote.

Despite two separate meetings, the government and the opposition yesterday struggled to reach consensus on proposed budget measures, including lower taxes, and APNU and the AFC warned that they would proceed with planned cuts in the administration’s spending if there is no resolution.

Acting Auditor General Deodat Sharma is to dedicate a special section of his 2011 report to examine issues related to the government holding company, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and the Lotto Funds and will meet with his predecessor Anand Goolsarran on these matters.

Leader of the Opposition David Granger yesterday said APNU has not sold out Linden in brokering an agreement on a number of measures, including electricity subsidies and liberalising the airwaves, as tempers run high in the mining town.

APNU has signalled that it would work with the government for the approval of the national budget and joint talks yesterday produced an increase in the old age pension to $10,000 along with the opposition coalition’s decision to withhold support for the AFC’s move to cut public spending.

AFC MP Khemraj Ramjattan has proposed budget reductions of $3.824 billion from programmes under three ministries, sparking the ire of the ministers yesterday at a hastily called press conference in Parliament.

Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh has signalled that government has no intention of reducing the 16% VAT, saying such a move would benefit the wealthy and not the poor.

Works Minister Robeson Benn dismissed Opposition assertions that an amount of $136m “disappeared” from a $550m sea defence project in West Berbice for which monies totalling $156m were paid up to the end of 2010 and with work to the value of $20.6m being delivered.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud says Guyana will very soon be receiving the third tranche of funds under the Guyana/Norway forest agreement, as the country is on course to meeting all of the conditions.

Prime Minister Sam Hinds yesterday defended government’s plans to eventually end subsidised electricity for Lindeners, saying that because of the developments taking place and impending in the town, it will be less reliant on the subsidy.

Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge opened the debate on the 2012 budget yesterday calling for the government to reduce VAT in stages and to increase public service wages, saying that the administration would be able to find the money once it reins in improper spending.

Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali says the Marriott Hotel and an expanded Cheddi Jagan International Airport are crucial if Guyana is to build on the tourism sector.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh yesterday unveiled a $192.8B budget that included gigantic allocations totalling $10B to support the cash-strapped GuySuCo, GPL along with a hike in the income tax threshold to $50,000 and modest rises in public assistance and old age pensions.

Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman yesterday went ahead with a Committee of Selection meeting to elect the chairpersons for several parliamentary committees despite an appeal from Prime Minister Sam Hinds for it to be suspended until the court rules on their composition.