Co-Leader of the Working People’s Alliance and Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity, Dr. David Hinds called out the Government for not prioritizing public servants and the University of Guyana in the 2026 National Budget.

The Budget speech by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh did not make any reference to public servants salaries, while the University of Guyana received billions less than it requested.

In his contribution to the Budget Debate, Dr. Hinds said the Government appears to be paying more attention to the Guyana Online Academy of Learning programme while under-funding the national university. The Government has abolished tuition fees at the University of Guyana, prompting the University to seek additional funding this year.

Dr. Hinds said the more than $5 Billion allocated in this year’s Budget for the GOAL programme should have been channeled to the University of Guyana

“We spend billions of dollars paying overseas universities in this GOAL scholarship while the depriving our university of funds. I know the University of Guyana can provide some of those degrees that the GOAL scholarship is sending our students abroad for. Mr Speaker, I urge our Government to slash the GOAL budget and give half of those resources to the University of Guyana,” today Hinds urged.

Additionally, Dr. Hinds told the House that the Government should prioritize public servants. He said the Government’s non-announcement of a further increase for public servants this year, while prices in the markets remain high, is unconscionable.

“Mr. Speaker, the wage minimum wage in our country for public servants is $102,000, the minimum wage in the private sector is $60,000, Mr. Speaker in a $1.5 trillion, can we not find a place for the dignity of public servants, let us put public servants first,” Hinds urged.

The Opposition MP also urged the Government to find a way to address the country’s high poverty rate. He said while the Government has announced broad measures, it did not specifically say how it will tackle poverty and to ensure vulnerable groups are better off.

Related posts:

Budget focuses heavily on Government’s priorities while pushing development goals -Minister Indar Manickchand talks up equitable access to education and free university plans in Budget debate 2020 Budget Neglects Public Servants -MP Sarabo-Halley Budget 2019: Public Sector Minimum wage increased to $64,200 per month