Budget debate ‘an exercise in futility’

REPUBLICAN Party President Henk Mudge on Wednesday branded debate on the National Budget as “a futile exercise”, saying past deliberations had never led to changes in the budget as presented to the National Assembly by the Finance Minister.

In his maiden address, Mudge said he was seeking clarity from the House on this matter because it appeared that the budget process was a fait accompli. Mudge said if this was always going to be the case, then parties should have the opportunity to discuss budget proposals before it is tabled.”Please don’t tell me that this is how it is normally done.Namibia is different and can deal with this in its own way even if it is going to be the first time it is done,” he said.Mudge said if there were no guarantees that changes would be made in line with the debate, then the debate should be abandoned and Parliamentarians should rather spend their time more productively, discussing issues on which their deliberations would have a more positive influence.Alternatively, he also suggested that the bill be referred to a parliamentary Standing Committee for input from outside.Mudge said judging by the reaction the budget had generated from outside the House, it appeared that economists and other financial experts had not been consulted in drawing up the budget.”We have experts with tremendous capacity available in our own country – people who would have loved to make a contribution,” he said, “now their only contribution is to criticise from outside.”He said the National Budget was no different to that of any major businesses, which spent lots of money to obtain the best financial advice.”Are we really using all the resources and expertise available in order to ensure that the affairs of this country are being managed properly and in the best possible interest of its shareholders namely the Namibian nation? I don’t think so,” said Mudge.Mudge further took issue with Swapo’s “jobs-for-comrades” policy, saying Government would only succeed if it distinguished between itself and the ruling party.”Excuses that senior personnel and Government officials, and even Ministers, should only be appointed from the ranks of the ruling party because those from opposition parties would sabotage the working of Government, is ridiculous to say the least,” said Mudge.He said he believed there were more people within its own ranks sabotaging Government than would be the case if people with different political sentiments were appointed.He accused Swapo of threatening democracy by “forcing” people to join the party if they wanted a job.Mudge said it was worrying that the National Budget relied heavily on grants.He said these should be seen as a bonus and it had to be considered that they might not materialise.Mudge added that if Government could not increase its income, then it had no choice but to cut its expenditure, especially on what he viewed as “non-essential” expenses.Mudge said the safety of Namibians would be better served by spending more on the Police, rather than on the Defence Force.He challenged the Government to say who or what was posing such an external threat to Namibia that it warranted increasing defence spending.He further requested Government to come clean on the State House project, saying it needed to be explained how the initial costs had doubled.”The whole State House project is perceived to have been covered in secrecy right from the start and it is not supposed to be like that.That house belongs to the people of Namibia and we ought to know that is going on there.”Mudge said if this was always going to be the case, then parties should have the opportunity to discuss budget proposals before it is tabled.”Please don’t tell me that this is how it is normally done.Namibia is different and can deal with this in its own way even if it is going to be the first time it is done,” he said.Mudge said if there were no guarantees that changes would be made in line with the debate, then the debate should be abandoned and Parliamentarians should rather spend their time more productively, discussing issues on which their deliberations would have a more positive influence.Alternatively, he also suggested that the bill be referred to a parliamentary Standing Committee for input from outside.Mudge said judging by the reaction the budget had generated from outside the House, it appeared that economists and other financial experts had not been consulted in drawing up the budget.”We have experts with tremendous capacity available in our own country – people who would have loved to make a contribution,” he said, “now their only contribution is to criticise from outside.”He said the National Budget was no different to that of any major businesses, which spent lots of money to obtain the best financial advice.”Are we really using all the resources and expertise available in order to ensure that the affairs of this country are being managed properly and in the best possible interest of its shareholders namely the Namibian nation? I don’t think so,” said Mudge.Mudge further took issue with Swapo’s “jobs-for-comrades” policy, saying Government would only succeed if it distinguished between itself and the ruling party.”Excuses that senior personnel and Government officials, and even Ministers, should only be appointed from the ranks of the ruling party because those from opposition parties would sabotage the working of Government, is ridiculous to say the least,” said Mudge.He said he believed there were more people within its own ranks sabotaging Government than would be the case if people with different political sentiments were appointed.He accused Swapo of threatening democracy by “forcing” people to join the party if they wanted a job.Mudge said it was worrying that the National Budget relied heavily on grants.He said these should be seen as a bonus and it had to be considered that they might not materialise.Mudge added that if Government could not increase its income, then it had no choice but to cut its expenditure, especially on what he viewed as “non-essential” expenses.Mudge said the safety of Namibians would be better served by spending more on the Police, rather than on the Defence Force.He challenged the Government to say who or what was posing such an external threat to Namibia that it warranted increasing defence spending.He further requested Government to come clean on the State House project, saying it needed to be explained how the initial costs had doubled.”The whole State House project is perceived to have been covered in secrecy right from the start and it is not supposed to be like that.That house belongs to the people of Namibia and we ought to know that is going on there.”