Projecting that the $1.558 Trillion National Budget will produce one of the country’s biggest deficits, and force the Government to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars to finance its projects and programmes this year, APNU Parliamentary Lead, Dr. Terrence Campbell today said the budget was lopsided and heavy on infrastructure with not enough measures in place to pull people out of poverty.
The Irfaan Ali Administration has budgeted $100 Billion for the Security Sector, $78.3 Billion for Social Services, $159.1 Billion for Housing, $161.1 Billion for the Health Sector, $183.6 Billion for Education Sector, and billions more on infrastructure projects.
But during his appearance on GoMoseley Radio alongside MP Saiku Andrews, Dr. Campbell said the budget fails to significantly increase the disposal income of Guyanese at a time when the inflation rate remains high, and approximately 58% of the population continues to live in poverty.
He said the small increases offered to the nation’s children, pensioners, and those benefiting from public assistance leave much to be desired, as he poured cold water on the budget.
“How are you putting people first and you are moving pension from $41,000 to $46,000 – $5,000 – in a country where there is rampant inflation. And I am unconcerned about the 2.5% inflation figure. That cannot be a real figure. And we in the APNU, we’re looking to start to measure inflation our selves. If I can recall back in 2020, the APNU had promised to move pension then to $50,000. Five years later, the PPP Government is only moving it to $46,000. Social assistance $3,000 moving it from $22,000 to $25,000,” Dr Campbell said.
Additionally, he said the Because We Care Cash Grant and the Transportation Grant of $60,000 and $20,000 respectively, fell short of the promise made by President Irfaan Ali while on the campaign trail in 2025. He said the President had vowed to increase the school grant to $100,000 and introduce a transportation grant of $100,000.
However, Campbell said the budget is not all bad. He welcomed the move by the Government to establish a Guyana Development Bank with the injection of US$100 Million, and the increase in the low-income mortgage ceiling from $20 Million to $30 Million.
However, he said the APNU was hoping to see much more in the budget for tax payers.
“There is the increase in the mortgage ceiling, there is a promise of a Development bank, there is the VAT reduction on specific motor vehicles and ATVs but I wanted to see more. Completely forgotten, private sector workers’ whose minimum wage I think is still is about $60,000 or $65,000, they have been completely forgotten. And the income tax threshold, the APNU had promised that we were going to move that income tax threshold to $400,000, the PPP Government is moving it from $130,000 to a measly $140,000 and for the pensioners, I really feel it for them. They had a promise from us of $100,000 which is what we thought was the minimum they needed to live in this oil economy and now they end up with $46, 000,” the APNU Parliamentary Lead reasoned.
Questioned on whether the proposals and promises made by the coalition during the campaign last year were really feasible, Dr. Campbell responded in the affirmative, explaining that it is the belief of APNU that the Government continues to waste billions of dollars with many projects extensively delayed, and in some cases even abandoned or poorly executed.
He said the situation is further compounded by corruption with billions lost due to corrupt practices, and political decisions that continue to cost tax payers. He said the Government is now ignoring some communities while only paying attention to others.
“Wales was a political decision, and they are going to have another gas pipeline but it is not going to Clonbrook which is one of the best places identified, it is going to Region Six. And what else is going to Region Six? There is a Rose Hall airport, there is a Port Mourant Recording Studio, there is a stadium going to Region Six, there is a hospitality institute going to Region Six, there is an Oil and Gas Institute in Region Six, there a Palmyra Cultural Institute in Region Six, there is a cricket academy going to Region Six, there is a medical institute going to Region Six,” he pointed out.
He said it is clear that Government is investing heavily in its base, while leaving Regions such as Region 10 and 4 with no real development.
MP Saiku Andrews said the investment in the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is another example of the Government making poor political decisions. The Sugar Corporation is in line to receive an injection of approximately $13B even as it continues to underperform, MP Andrews said.
“The truth of the matter is that the Government spent a whole term and have not been able to turn GuySuCo around. It has failed under their leadership and they got a chance and they said it was going to turn around, they pumped billions into it and five years later, here we are at 2026 in a new budget cycle, and they are pumping money inside, with no turn around in sight,” he said.
Given its concerns, the APNU Coalition is proposing that the Budget be restructured to bring real change to the people of Guyana.
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