Budget preparation will continue – Minister Jordan

Jul 26, 2019 News

With the government being in a caretaker position, President David Granger has made it pellucid that a budget would not be passed. Be that as it may, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, has said that the preparation process will continue.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan

During an interview with Kaieteur News, yesterday, the Minister explained that the national budget is one that involves preparation, presentation before the National Assembly, deliberations on the speech and estimates, implementation of the said budget, monitoring and evaluation, a thorough audit and then the cycle starts all over again.
The economist said that efforts will continue with respect to the budget preparation but reiterated that it will not be presented to the National Assembly. He said that it would be prepared and when the government wins the next General and Regional Elections, a budget would already be prepared so that it can hit the ground running.
Depending on the size of the victory, the establishment of a Ministry of Energy for example, would become possible, the Minister said.
Just two weeks ago, Jordan led the opening of the budget 2020 sensitization and training sessions which was held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. There, the economist noted that Volumes I and II of the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) – Vision 2040 were completed earlier this year and will serve to guide government’s shaping of policies and programmes for the respective sectors.
The Finance Minister said that the GSDS has several core concepts which include transitioning to renewable energy, green towns urban public spaces, sustainable management of natural resources, Green and inclusive economic diversification, building our human capital and institutional capacity, good governance, transparency and knowledge management, and resilient infrastructure.
The Minister said that every single region must have a regional development plan that is able to realize the objectives of the GSDS in their own right.
He noted that the Plans of Action For Regional Development (PARDS) have already commenced with Regions Ten and Nine being substantially advanced in terms of guiding their Budget 2020 interventions.
Jordan asserted, “We must use the lessons learned from the two experiences of developing the PARDS to accelerate the development of regional strategic plans in the eight remaining Regions. Both traditional and non-traditional sectors must be explored to take advantage of the comparative advantages that we possess as a nation.”
The Finance Minister said that supportive infrastructure and renewable energy must serve to catalyze the necessary development to transition the hinterland regions to high-performing regions, where service delivery can be comparable to the coast.
The economist said, “Indeed, I look forward to the day when coast landers can journey to the hinterland to live and work with the same level of anticipation as many have done to go to yonder shores. I look forward to the day when the high schools in Mabaruma, Kamarang and Parmakatoi are able to deliver the same quality of education as a top performing high school in Georgetown. “
He added, “I look forward to the day when the maternity patient is able to deliver her baby comfortably and safely in the hospital in Region Seven, just as she would be expected to do in our national referral hospital.
“That is what we need to work towards; that is what we have to deliver; and that is what you, as Heads of Budget Agencies and senior officials in the public service, must reach for and work towards the transformation and development of our nation through every budget cycle…”
The Finance Minister said that getting there however is about rolling up one’s sleeves, putting the shoulders to the proverbial wheel and getting the work done. He emphasized that it is about putting the systems in place and the institutional strengthening that is required.
He further noted that it is about addressing the data gaps in respective agencies since this is critical to ensuring that the government is able to measure its achievements, as it goes forward, and determine, based on evidence, what is working and what is not.