Police, Public Service Commissions get more cash than last year, but less than proposed

Last Updated on Friday, 8 January 2016, 0:45 by Denis Chabrol

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan has rejected claims by the opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) that government has reduced the amount of monies allocated to the Public and Police Service Commission for 2016.

Responding to former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, Ramjattan said the actual amount for this year has been increased by GYD$11 million  and should take it consideration the allocations by the then PPPC administration for several years now. He listed that the Police and Public Service Commission had received GYD$61 million in 2012; GYD$59 million in 2013; GYD$67 million in 2014 and GYD$76 million in 2015.

The National Assembly’s Committee of Supply approved GYD$87,957,000 instead of the GYD$113,993,000 that had been asked for by the commission.

The Public Security Minister reiterated that when the National Assembly approves the amount, the Finance Minister could not interfere or encumber how those monies are spent. “As a matter of fact we are having lots more transparency. We could see what the people are requesting,” he said.

Ramjattan argued that the Public and Police Service Commission could not automatically get what it asked for in its proposed budget. “I think that is reasonable that is prudent in the context of what the Public Service and Police Service Commission has to do,” he said.

Rohee argued in favour of the commission receiving all of the monies in their proposed budget, saying that there was an increasing backlog of matters to be addressed.