Manickchand calls on gov’t to reconsider ‘unconscionable’ budget

Opposition Member of Parliament Priya Manickchand yesterday called on the APNU+AFC government to listen to the reactions of the people and withdraw the proposed 2017 budget, which she deemed shocking and unconscionable.

Manickchand, who served as education minister from 2011 to 2015 and is now shadow minister for the PPP/C, told the National Assembly that as the government intends to impose Value-Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services to be used by the government, the actual budgeted sum for education is $1 billion less than the $43.1 billion announced.