Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, on Friday lashed out at the Opposition APNU+AFC over its criticism of Government spending and continuous withdrawals from the oil fund.

In defending the 2025 National Budget, Minister Rodrigues said the former APNU+AFC Government was good at not doing much, and now wants to dictate to the current Government that it is doing too much.

She said the Government’s investments in major infrastructure projects are people centered and necessary. Minister Rodrigues supported the increased borrowing by the administration.

“Total external debt has to be measured by the size of the economy. You have to have capacity to service debt. People know that the more you are earning, the more your capacity to borrow. Mr. Speaker it is nothing genius…What should we do? Should we tell the people let’s save the money, let’s save all of the money, and do not build the roads, do not build the bridge across the Demerara River, we should wait until we have the cash to do it while people continue to suffer and spend time in traffic. We shouldn’t build the bridge across the Wismar (Demerara) river, we should leave the Lindeners to punish there. We should let people to continue to suffer in blackouts, we shouldn’t build the gas to energy project. Is that what they want?”, she questioned.

Minister Rodrigues said an examination of the financial paper would reveal that the ratio of public debt to GDP has decreased over the past four years. Guyana’s public debt has been growing steadily as the country reports increased growth and earnings.

“Are you telling people that they should not go to the bank to access a mortgage to build their homes? Is this what they (opposition) are telling the people? Why are they scaring people and why are they trying to frighten people about debt. This is a grave disservice”, Minister Rodrigues said.

She said the Opposition’s criticism of major Government projects point to narrow mindedness, adding that the Government is focused on building and developing Guyana while creating opportunities for citizens.

Minister Rodrigues said the Government has been using its resources to build sustainable infrastructure while generating wealth. She said instead of criticizing Government projects, the Opposition should lay out the projects that it would like to see cut.

She told the House that already the Irfaan Ali Administration is well on its way to  achieving one of its primary manifesto promise of allocating 50,000 house lots by the end of its term in office.

“They didn’t build any new housing area but they come here to criticize the housing programme that has already benefited 41,000 young people in this country; 18,000 young women, single women who have benefited from house lots in the last four years; 20,000 house lots for young people, over 20,000 young people between the ages of 21 and 35 now own their own homes or land,” Minister Rodrigues said.

The Opposition has described the Budget as “lopsided” with Government investing over $200 Billion in infrastructure development while just allocating $9 Billion for cost-of-living relief. But the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water passionately defended government’s allocation.

The Housing and Water Ministry has laid out a number of major projects to come on stream this year as part of its work plan.

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