PPP/C spent $9.7B on food, six other items; Govt. spends $14.7B on same – Jagdeo

Aug 31, 2018 News

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo thinks that government’s spending on certain areas is the reason it cannot find money to pay teachers and police ranks.
Jagdeo told the media that he compared the money that Guyana was spending on certain items under the PPP/C government in 2014 against what is being “wasted” under the serving government.
He said that in 2014, “National and other events” attracted a budgetary lump sum of $477M but attracts $911M in 2018, reflecting a $434M increase.
Dietary (food), under the PPP/C cost taxpayers $3.6B, now it is costing Guyanese $5.2B, an increase of $1.6B.
Jagdeo noted that the category $1.8B was allocated for “other” in 2014 but $2.6B has been allocated in 2018, a $836M increase. “If you add those only on those three that is $2.8B more.”
Further, Jagdeo said that “Local travel” used to be $1.4B under the PPP/C, now it is $2.1B—it has grown by $732M. And, “this is per annum you know, we using all this money for local travel and per diem.”
Jagdeo went on to note that “Vehicle spares and service” was $853M in 2014 but is now $1.34B representing a $490M increase; “other transport travel and postage use to be $874M, it is now $1.4B another increase of $469M.”
Jagdeo said, “Government is renting building all over the place at lucrative prices.” He said that $795M was allocated for rental in 2014 but $1.39B is now being spent on this.
Jagdeo told the media, “In these seven heads alone, there is increase expenditure of $5.1B.”
Jagdeo said that these are excesses that could have gone to paying teachers and restoring the tax-free double salary for police.
He was keen to note that the increases under the seven line items would not affect real development.
Further, Jagdeo said that termination of the “corrupt” drug bond contract would allow a $170M extra in the system. He said that this can add $13,000 to uniform allowance of teachers.
“Worst of it all, “Minister Henry and others got the gall to go out to say teachers are being greedy; when, without working a single day, they took a 50 percent increase for themselves. We can take the existing National Budget and cut $30B without harming anyone.”