The National Liberation Party (PLN) will support a special budget for the National Children’s Trust (PANI) in 2017, should they need more resources, and if the government makes a minimum cut of ¢ 20 billion from the current expenditure.
The announcement was made by the head of the faction, Maureen Clarke, accompanied by legislator Paulina Ramírez and the President of the Legislative Assembly, Antonio Álvarez, after last night’s approval of the regular budget for 2017, in which the opposition eliminated the Government’s intention to inject an additional ¢ 47 billion to PANI.
The legislator said that last October, the Finance Minister Helio Fallas sent a letter to the Committee on Financial Affairs of the Congress stating that the current expenditure budget can be reduced in ¢20 billion, and all the other efforts of additional cuts can be made by saving in cost of living and actions to reduce expenses, carried out by the executive branch.
However, the woman acknowledged that it was yesterday that the PLN decided to accept the proposal of the Government.
Clarke added that liberationists endorse the allocation resolved by an extraordinary budget for resources for PANI in the first quarter of 2017.
The regular budget, amounting to ¢ 8.9 billion, was approved last night without receiving regulatory feedback of first and second reading, following the breakdown of the minimum quorum for meetings.