Georgetown : A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) does not accept the Chief Justice’s “decision” in the “Budget –cut” case which was delivered on Wednesday last.
The Opposition says it is dissatisfied with any item in the 2014 Budget, according to a rational interpretation of the “decision”, must refuse to approve the entire Budget in order to give effect to their disapproval.
APNU says the Government in this situation if it refuses to amend the Budget to the satisfaction of the Opposition would precipitate a major constitutional crisis and trigger a consequent General Election.
The Opposition claims that the Minister of Finance has deliberately ignored the decision of the National Assembly, as reflected in the approved 2013 Appropriations Actby spending monies that were not approved by the National Assembly. The Minister, as a consequence, should be censured by the National Assembly for this blatant defiance.
The Chief Justice’s “decision”, suggests, also, that APNU cannot defend the decision of the National Assembly in the Courts of Law if taken there by the government side.
The Chief Justice’s “decision”, coming after 18 months but just before the presentation of the 2014 Budget, seems intended to neutralize the Opposition’s vital oversight role of the National Assembly.
