By Svetlana Marshall

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, brought the curtains down this evening on the Opposition’s arguments in the 2025 Budget debates.

Mr. Norton told the National Assembly that the $1.3 trillion Budget fails to address the fundamental issues affecting Guyanese, while the Government continues to spend from the oil fund with no transparency.

“It is a slush fund, and a recipe for waste and illegal enrichment. There is the poor allocation of resources, especially the over focus on infrastructure at the expense of the development of our human resources and the working people of Guyana. More importantly, it is not guided by a well thought out vision. It is the lumping together of projects that do not constitute a national plan,” Norton said.

The Opposition Leader said an APNU-led Government would develop a people-centered development strategy that would allow for the effective use of the country’s resources.

“Mr. Speaker, as the next government we will change the law to ensure that oil resources are not plundered and misused and that those resources are effectively managed and invested to transform the non-oil sector while ensuring we have funds saved for future generations and for the bad times when oil price is low, as is now imminent,” Norton told the Assembly.

On the issue of a renegotiation of the oil contract with ExxonMobil, the Opposition Leader said the Opposition has long signaled its intention to engage ExxonMobil on the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) to make changes with the aim of putting more resources in the hands of the people of Guyana.

It was the APNU+AFC Government that signed the agreement that is currently in place.

Norton said the 2025 Budget presented by the Irfaan Ali Administration does not put sufficient money in the hands of the people.

Further, criticizing the budget as one with “a lot of piecemeal measures,” the Opposition Leader said the Value Added Tax should have been lowered to put more money into the pockets of citizens.

“It is sad that the government seems hell bent on collecting large income from tax from the small man, who pays PAYE rather than reducing VAT to bring direct relief to the people of Guyana. As the next government we will adjust VAT as is appropriate to bring direct relief to the people of Guyana,” he added.

Earlier during today’s debates, Government Chief Whip Gail Teixeira defended the Government’s budget, telling the National Assembly that it will undoubtedly improve the socio-economic status of all Guyanese through policies that will make life easier and uplift their standards of living.

The Minister of Governance said the tax measures alone will increase the disposal income of thousands of Guyanese and will directly impact homes.

“The changes in income tax are important. All these measures are to make life easier and less stressful for our people,” she told the House, adding that the Budget has received commendation from the Private Sector and other key stakeholders.

Trading blame, Minister Teixeira accused the former APNU+AFC Administration of mismanaging the country’s resources between 2015 to 2020.

Five years later, she said, the APNU+AFC has opted to criticize the good policies being piloted by the government instead of providing critical support necessary for the country’s development.

“Why must you be so tainted that everything you dissect? It’s okay to criticise and say ‘Do it better,’ but you give us such negative vibes. There is nothing good happening in this country according to you,” the governance minister stated.

Minister Teixeira concluded that Guyanese are experiencing progress in their individual lives and do not want to return to a place of regression.

Budget 2025 totals $1.382 Trillion, 20.6 per cent larger than last year’s fiscal package.  

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