Budget 2017: “Contradictions upon Contradictions” says Ganga Persaud; Bulkan deems it the best thus far

Opposition MP, Ganga Persaud during the Budget Debate earlier today said while the Government Chief Whip is boasting of the return of local democracy with the holding of Local Government Elections, there is still the incomplete matter of the six tied Local Authority Areas (LAAs) which is before the court.

However, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan who rose in defense clarified to the House that with regard to the tied LAAs, an offer was made that was refused by the PPP, “where the party that obtained the plurality or greater number of votes in those tied areas would be entitled to the chairmanship, Mr. Speaker the records would show that that offer was refused by the Opposition and that is what led to the lack of the resolution.” Minister Bulkan reminded the importance of local government elections to the Democratic process.

Continuing with the presentation on the National Budget, Persaud told the House that the storytelling by Government  MPs continues, as he responded to Government Chief Whip Amna Ally’s earlier claim that the Public Procurement Commission was established under the Coalition, pointing out that this was made possible by the 32 opposition parliamentarians.

He noted that while Miss Ally can boast about the Government’s proactiveness, in his view this is the third budget presented by government that places added burden on the people. According to him more than 75% of the population would deem this budget as the gravest in history.

Defending the Government further, Minister Bulkan went on to state that this is the best of the three budgets presented since it is transformative in nature and pro working class.