In a historic first, the National Assembly yesterday approved budget proposals of some constitutional agencies outside of the main budget presentation but the process was held up for hours as the two sides squabbled over who was responsible for answering questions on the Audit Office and Finance Minister Winston Jordan also faced heat for “cutting” figures for several agencies.
On a number of occasions, government used its majority to approve the sums recommended by Jordan which were less than the sums proposed by the agencies. The budget estimates for the 16 constitutional agencies, following their approval in the House’s Committee of Supply, will be included in the national budget when it is presented and will be made law with the passage of the Appropriations Act.
The approval of the agencies’ budget prior to their inclusion in the
