Financial bill to define 2015 state budget

The text to define the directions of the state budget for 2015, which should have been on the table for members 15 days prior to the start of the budget session only took place last Wednesday. It has therefore not been presented by the government.

A dirty trick become a habit.

The parliamentary session which opened Wednesday in Yaounde shall hear the review and vote on the state budget for the year 2015. Prior to that, the executive's proposed budget must bear the approval of elected officials and this bill should have been read a fortnight before the opening of the budget session.

This, once again seems to have been respected by the government. Bill 2015, on the financial system of the state for 2015 has still not been passed in parliament, this contrary to the relevant provisions on the subject.

Indeed, Law No. 2207/006 of 26 December 2007 on the financial system of the State of Cameroon provides in Article 39 paragraph 1 that, "the draft budget law for the year, including mandatory annexes under Article 36 above shall be laid on the table of Parliament not later than fifteen days before the beginning of the session. "Which unfortunately was not yet the case last Wednesday, according to some elected at the solemn opening of the November session, one devoted to the consideration and adoption of the draft law on budget State for the coming year.

Thirty days

Also according to the text quoted above, "the parliament has a period of twenty days from the opening of the session for a final decision on the budget law. "For a session that lasts 30 days, the ten can be devoted to the consideration of other bills. But since the entry into force of this Act, the government has not only been in the habit of not meeting the deadline of fifteen days, but also do not file it until a few days before the end of the session.

Members do not have the time and to examine or discuss the text especially when they do the same job for the regulation law which establishes the proper execution or not the budget for the current year.

The executive, who is a past master in the art of cons - foot, is probably on the verge of repeating the same maneuver as they fear some members of the majority.

Asked Wednesday about the eternal delay, Alamine Ousmane Mey, the Minister of Finance, declined to comment. With twenty days to review the draft budget law, members have become accustomed to devote to oral questions to the government and review the few texts that the executive is willing to submit to their discretion. The separation of powers, spring solid democracy, put to a severe test.

Ludovic Amara ( Trainee)