Opposition Member of Parliament Roysdale Forde today broadsided the Government’s $1.146 trillion budget as “lopsided” and “uninspiring”.

In Opening the 2024 Budget Debates, MP Forde said this year’s Budget has fallen short in many areas, and it lacks an inclusive approach on conceptualization, and the equal and equitable allocation of resources.

“More of the same policies that allow unsustainable growth and lobsided development in a trickle-down economy. More of the same policies that facilitates structural discrimination and corruption, facilitated by the interplay by partisan politics and uncontrolled impulsive splurging of oil money by the incumbent government,” Forde said.

Mr. Forde said given the outcry by the Parliamentary Opposition and the society, it was hoped that the Government would have presented a more inclusive budget that would see wealth creation for all and an ease of the current cost of living constraints faced by many. 

Mr. Forde said by excluding at least 50% of citizens by again excluding their representatives in Parliament, sets a bad precedence and raises questions about accountability.

“This raises serious questions about accountability and governance. This lack of meaningful consultations with those who bear the brunt of fiscal policies, is not just a procedural misstep, it is a disconcerting display of bad governance and it disregard the very essence of democracy,” Mr. Forde stated.

The Opposition MP said a serious disadvantage for not having stakeholders’ consultation ahead of the 2024 Budget, is the potential misallocation of funds.

“By excluding critical stakeholders such as community leaders and other such as labour organizations, municipalities, town councils,RDCs, and representatives of marginalized groups, the government is essentially sidelining the voices that could provide valuable perspectives on how to create a budget that is truly inclusive and responsive to the various needs of the population,” Mr. Forde.

Forde said vulnerable groups who that are most disadvantaged, got little or nothing in the budget, and it is a cause for serious concern. He said the budget is big on numbers, but all for the wrong reasons.

In addition, Forde questioned whether the budgetary allocations are real figures or whether the government will go back to the House for supplementary fundings as was the case last year.

“Mr. Speaker, assuming that this budget is the real one, the very core of this trickle-down economy is a contentious issue, that the government is ensuring unprecedented sums are given to a few at the top while giving handouts to the grassroots,” Forde noted.

According to Forde, even when the Government appears to be helping the poor through its cash grants initiatives, those programmes are also marred with irregularities and are not distributed fairly.

He said the government has demonstrated that it is not focused on improving the lives of citizens, with all of its One Guyana talk for prosperity.

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