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The Budget debates moved to a second stage yesterday in the National Assembly as the House resolved into the Committee of Supplies and scrutinised the allocations, both current and capital, individually.Expenditures were approved yesterday for the Office of the President, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Guyana Defence Force, the Ministries of Public Works and Communication,cheap jerseys nfl wholesale, Agriculture and Education, among others.Shadow Finance Minister, Volda Lawrence, and People’s National Congress Reform Member of Parliament, Aubrey Norton, did not hesitate in their scrutiny of the increasing number of contract workers being used,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China, as against the workers from the regular public service.One such increase was that of a Special Assistant at the Office of the President who is paid 149, 000 a month.Norton sought to find out from the Junior Finance Minister,wholeslae cheap nfl jerseys china, Jennifer Webster, what the factors were at the policy level that informed the decision to employ contract workers instead of using the normal public service.These questions as well as several related questions were all deferred to the Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford who, after several prompts, told the House that it is the right of each worker to choose whether they want to be employed on a contractual basis or be a pensionable employee.Norton had expressed the opinion that the amount of contract labour is quickly exceeding the normal public service.A provision for the maintenance of equipment which was increased by more than 100 per cent was also questioned and Webster explained that it was related to the upkeep of computers and stabilisers among other pieces of equipment.At Office of the President, too, it was learnt that monies have been approved to increase the 71-strong fleet of vehicles by six.The several increases in allocations for the Guyana Elections Commissions were attributed to the fact that this year there is the Regional and General Elections.Clarissa Riehl, who was recently appointed to the portfolio of Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, questioned the fact that over the years approximately $12M dollars is allocated for the Office of the OmbudsmanRiehl pointed out that for the past several years there has been no Ombudsman, stating that only about $2M of the allocation is utilised by the office.Public Works and Communication Minister Robeson Benn said that the allocation is made each year in case there is an appointment.Asked when this post will be filled, Benn said that the administration was in consultation on the issue.An Ombudsman is an appointed official whose duty is to investigate complaints, generally on behalf of individuals such as consumers or taxpayers,cheap nfl jerseys online, against institutions such as companies and government departmentsAlliance For Change’s Sheila Holder pointed out to the Minister that there was no senior member of administrative staff at the Office of the Ombudsman, and sought to find out who was in charge of the money that is approved for expenditure by this body.Benn told the House that the administrative work of the Office is handled by the Permanent Secretary.The $550M for the Demerara Harbour Bridge also came under scrutiny,NFL Jerseys Outlet, and Benn informed the House that it will be used for the construction and rehabilitation of pontoons, distribution mains, buoys, concrete anchor blocks,Cheap NFL Jerseys Supply, replacement of cables and junction boxes among other rehabilitation works to the 32-year-old bridge.Some 29 pontoons are slated for rehabilitations.As it relates to a provision of money under stellings,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale China, Benn told the House that some revetment work will be done at the Kumaka wharf.Benn said that the facility has not been used in 30 years adding that it has been abandoned and given to private persons.He said that the administration had told the persons to evict themselves given that it was not safe as the river was quickly eroding the area, “we will come and do revetment…it is the framework that they left here is what fell into the river.”As it relates to the beleaguered Supenaam stelling, Benn told the House that an additional $55M will be spent on modifications while another $8M will be spent at the Parika stelling (so as to facilitate the Roll-on/Roll-off ferries), which he said is scheduled to be operational by November this year, as would the facility at Supenaam. |
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