The combined Opposition tonight voted against two allocations totalling $527 million for the Guyana Elections Commission saying that the necessary reforms must be made and if they are, APNU and the AFC would support a supplementary appropriation to get the money back.
An allocation of $902.8 million under ‘other’ was reduced by $500 million while an allocation of $53.7 million for refreshments and meals was cut by $27 million.
In proposing the cuts, AFC’s Khemraj Ramjattan asked Prime Minister Sam Hinds whether the remaining pieces of electoral reform legislation will be brought to National Assembly to make the holding of Local Government Elections possible.
Hinds said he “would certainly hope so.” Hinds said the Chief Election Officer said to him that he would be happy if Parliament does what is required to ensure that those elections are held in October this year.
Hinds expressed disappointment in the Opposition for voting against the allocations and called it an unusual step. He said, “It raises in my mind how earnest the AFC and APNU are about wanting to go to Local Government Elections.” He called the proposal by the Opposition to possibly support a supplementary appropriation for the balance of the funds should the necessary reforms be completed, “a recipe for not holding Local Government Elections this year.”
Speaking on the amendments, APNU’s Basil Williams said that his party’s position has always been consistent. “We cannot put new wine into old wine skins. We have not heard a word from the Government on those reforms. If the Prime Minister or anyone else from the Government commits to having the reforms, we would support supplementary provisions,” Williams said.
Observers say today’s cuts may also have some bearing on Gecom’s ability to run off snap elections were one to be called by the government. The opposition appears to want to ensure that a snap poll just can’t be called like that.
