–?? ?APNU announces $35B trim to spendingThe Opposition last evening held off on its threats to cut the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget by $585M after saying it was satisfied with the responses from the Government side.This was after intense grilling of Agri Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, on several programmes including drainage and the state of affairs at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).Hours earlier,Cheap NFL Jerseys, the House passed a $3B budget for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a $1.34B allocation to the Ministry of Legal Affairs. Under the Ministry, estimates were also passed for the Deeds Registry, the Supreme Court,Supply NFL Jerseys, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Magistrates’ Court. There was intense questioning over the number of contract workers.The Alliance For Change (AFC), has signaled Friday that it was planning to trim $38B from the $208.8B National Budget. The cuts had been the subject of debate in the National Assembly on Monday with the House Speaker, Raphael Trotman,Wholesale Jerseys, ruling yesterday that members had the power to cut the budget.A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) also last evening gave formal notice that it intends to cut the National Budget by some $35B,Cheap NFL Jerseys, but says once information is forthcoming it will not go ahead. It became clear that the many answers that Minister Ramsammy gave calmed the Opposition.The Ministry wanted $1B to help prop the struggling Guyana Sugar Corporation. This too was allowed to pass after the Minister promised to present the National Assembly with a new plan later this year that the government is working on to turn the industry around.According to Ramsammy, GuySuCo is spending $1B weekly on wages while local creditors are owed $1B for fertilizers, among other things.There were also questions over $4B in a subsidy that went to GuySuCo last year from the Government. The Minister said that $1.5B went to meet expenses to retroactive pay, $796M towards payment of NIS,Cheap NBA Jerseys China, $1B for crop financing while $142M went to South African’s Bosch Engineering for repairs to the Skeldon Factory. The sugar industry and Skeldon have both been a vexing one for the Opposition.Ramsammy said that $1B was to help GuySuCo’s cash flow and while the corporation is not likely to turn a profit this year, it is unlikely government will be asking for additional monies in 2013.Ramsammy admitted that GuySuCo’s revival has not turned out as expected but a new plan will see wider consultations from stakeholders.Questions were also raised about GuySuCo’s board which has been facing accusations of being to being filled with square pegs. The Minister admitted that it is an area being looked at.Regarding the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Ramsammy was also grilled on the Hope Canal and the several pumps being ordered from India under a line of credit.The canal is on target for August month-end,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, with a team to travel to India later this month to inspect the $800M pumps – some 14 of them.Ramsammy also assured the Members of Parliament that systems have been put into place to reduce accusations of fuel fraud at NDIA with stringent record keeping and checks in place. The $22B budget was then passed.As of late last evening the estimates for the Ministry of Education were being considered.