Examining…the spending

It would seem that the line-by-line examination of the expenditures projected in Budget 2026 – by the National Assembly transformed into the quaintly named “Committee of Supply” – wasn’t as uneventful as usual. Eyebrows were raised – and questions asked – on a number of items! But it doesn’t appear that any changes were made. The office of “Commissioner of Information” (CoI) came in for intense scrutiny as information was sought as to what exactly the incumbent did – since there wasn’t any information provided by him in a report (or verbally) on his activities to earn the $40M allocated to the office. The explanation that most of the sum – 85 per cent or $34M – was for his salary seems to’ve just further aroused the Opposition MPs’ ire!!
Now the CoI – a retired Justice of the court known for his acerbic wit and insistence on formalities – was appointed by the President pursuant to the “Access to Information Act of 2011” as part of the PPP declaration that it was committed to openness and transparency in its governance of the country!! What your Eyewitness can’t understand is that since the Act is very clear in its articulation of the CoI’s duties, why – for instance – some of the Government’s noted critics picketed the fella’s office!! They claim he wasn’t “responsive”!! It seems from what your Eyewitness read, they were kinda rude to the CoI because they complained that he objected to their refusal to refer to him in their communications as “Justice” or “Esquire”!! Now, if you really want some piece of information that you think is vital to whatever Governmental function you are investigating, what does it take for you to refer to the man’s honorific – as is customary? Anyhow, the fella is a one-man office, and perhaps the Opposition can follow up on their suggestion made during the examination of the estimates that the CoI’s finances be INCREASED so that he can employ staff?!!
Another matter that was cleared up was funding for the LOO’s office – which was raised from last year to $34M. According to the legislation introduced by the PPP in 2010, he’s entitled to a rent-free office; reimbursement for medical expenses for self and family; security service at home and office; research assistant; executive assistant; chauffeur; personal security; gardener; two domestic servants; vacation allowance; and salary equivalent to those of a Cabinet Minister!! Not so incidentally, during the 2025 estimates scrutiny, the Govt whip revealed that the previous LOO never had his office open – even though the $400,000 monthly rent was paid!
It was also on the books that the Government’s catering for 716,261 adults to receive the $100,000 cash grant this year – up from 613,000!!
More Guyanese from furrin?

…voting trends
It was also revealed that an expenditure examination showed that $6.9 billion was allocated for Local Government Elections (LGE) – constitutionally due later this year!! From where your Eyewitness stands – on the side-lines with his popcorn always ready! – is that while LGEs aren’t usually taken very seriously, this time around, things are gonna be different!! With all the old political verities thrown out of the window with the whupping of APNU/PNC by the WIN to make their leader the LOO, the LGE are gonna provide us with some evidence as to whether WIN might just be a passing wind – or not!!
Of course, it’ll also give the PNC a chance to do a Lazarus and rise from the dead!! Sadly, even though Chicken Man saw some Biblical significance in the PNC’s decimation for him to lead just 12 MPs into the National Assembly, his performance up to now clearly shows he ain’t no Jesus Christ!!
If Sanction Man is extradited before the LGE, of course, all bets will be off. Cause, then, any number can play!!

…legal training
Your Eyewitness read that $100M was allocated for architectural drawings and structural engineering plans, etc, for our own law school. Whatever happened to the plans – and funding? – for the JOF Hayles Law School, former AG Basil Williams had promised?