| The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has been asking time and time again about the financing of the inauguration ceremony held for President David Granger back in May. The Party posed questions on that issue during the National Budget deliberations, submitted written questions in the National Assembly and has kept it on the front burner at its weekly press conferences. However, it has not been successful in getting any figures on the event.Last week, PPP General Secretary,Wholesale Jerseys China, Clement Rohee said that the Party needed the details and would not be satisfied until such is forthcoming. However, what he did not say, is that the PPP has evidence to prove that public funds were used for the inauguration.It was at a subsequent press conference held later that very week, that two other PPP Members of Parliament confirmed that the party indeed has proof that public monies were spent. This goes contrary to what the government has been saying, which is that friends and supporters of the APNU+AFC coalition stood the expense of the grand inauguration ceremony.Former Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony told the media, “We know the truth.”After the press conference, he and his colleague, Gail Teixeira outlined some “simple facts” that prove the APNU+AFC’s “dishonesty.”Dr. Anthony said,NFL Jerseys China, “We know that those events were on, we (the PPP government) were planning for the events (Independence Anniversary activities). Rehearsals were on and children were practicing for the event that was to be held at the National Park. What happened is that they were basically taken from there (National Park) and taken to the stadium. So how is it that you are going to say that no money was spent and then give Parliament an answer like that?”Dr. Anthony added, “It is a contradiction, you cannot say nothing was spent.” He said this as he noted the fact that the cost for these dancers had to form part of the cost of the event.Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeiraormer Minister of Culture, Dr. Frank AnthonyTeixeira threw in her bit saying, “If they (government officials) are not being duplicitous then they have a strange understanding of what is a budget. I say this because, every time the State puts, on let’s say, a Republic Day at the Parliament, the decoration, the microphone, the flag , the men marching,Wholesale Baseball Jerseys 2018, the horses and whatever else, they all attract a calculated cost. Police have it in its budget, GDF has in its budget,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, Parliament is usually given money in those days by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry people would come and put up all the nice decorations and stuff like that. Then there is the reception, soft drink was paid for by parliament and so on; all this is a cost on the State.”Both Teixeira and Dr. Anthony made points to the effect that if there is such a case that the cost was stood by friends and supporters of the government, as was stated before, then fine; but the public has a right to know what those donations amounted to and how much money was spent out of the total amount of donations.Teixeira said, “the government can easily tell us, ‘well look, the cost for the decorations was this and, the cost for the mics and speakers is x and x was paid for by Dr. Anthony or Marcia Griffith, that is all the government has to do.”In this regard, Dr. Anthony added,China NFL Jerseys, “there is nothing wrong with giving an amount. The thing that we know for sure is that these 500 kids that were suppose to perform at the National Park that were rehearsing all the time, we know the Ministry of Culture paid for it; that is where it is normally being paid from. If there is an exception this year, just say to us that there is an exception and say to us how was it funded. Tell us exactly who managed the money and tell us what happened to the budgetary allocations for this event.”Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran was quoted in sections of the media saying that government should come clean on its spending at the inauguration ceremony.He said that private funding for public expenditure in keeping with the laws of Guyana would be considered a gift or donation. He said that such donations must be valued and taken into the public accounts.Goolsarran added, “When private funds are being used for public events,Alexis Sanchez Chile Jersey, the government owes it to the public to disclose where the money came from and how the money was spent.” |
