Guyana: Former Finance Minister Critiques Guyana’s $54.8B Supplementary Budget

Former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan has expressed strong criticism regarding the Guyanese government’s recent request for a $54.8 billion supplementary budget. This budget was presented by Senior Minister Dr. Ashni Singh just four months after the approval of the national budget, which amounted to $1.558 trillion. Jordan argues that this request indicates poor planning and inadequate management of public resources, suggesting that the parliament has become a mere political “rubber stamp.”

While acknowledging that supplementary budget requests are not uncommon in governance, Jordan highlighted the unusual timing and scale of this particular request as concerning. He pointed out that the current administration has a history of seeking supplementary funding, but the frequency and magnitude of this request raise significant concerns about fiscal responsibility. “The thing now is out of control. We are seeing billions now being asked, not the hundreds of millions that we were traditionally accustomed to,” he stated.

Jordan described the National Assembly as the weakest branch of government in Guyana, asserting that the executive’s parliamentary majority undermines the legislature’s constitutional oversight role. He noted that this situation leaves taxpayers vulnerable to unchecked spending. He remarked, “People are becoming disgusted with the parliament. It’s a joke. It’s a rubber stamp.”

He also criticized the lack of thorough post-spending audits, claiming that current evaluations do not adequately assess the effectiveness of public spending. According to Jordan, the requested supplementary budget includes significant funding for projects such as the Wales Gas-to-Energy project and regional housing developments. He warned that without improved legislative scrutiny, the country’s growing oil economy could face serious risks related to waste and inefficiency.

Source: hgptv.com

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