Leader of the People’s National Congress Aubrey Norton today called on the government to urgently put forward measures to cushion the rising cost of living in Guyana.

During a Press Conference, Mr. Norton said while his party is cognisant that the world is experiencing inflation, it remains concerned that the Guyana government has not been moving to implement policies and programmes that will address the situation and bring relief to citizens.

“Had the government followed the PNCR’s advice and developed a people-centered approach, Guyanese today would have had more money to offset rising prices. The PNCR had advised, for example, increasing the 2022 salary of public servants by over 25%, raising the minimum wage and tax threshold, removing personal income tax for low-wage earners, providing a generous risk allowance to frontline workers, and guaranteeing all households a minimum livable income. Such measures would have helped considerably,” Mr. Norton said.

Admitting that those measures alone will not be enough in a situation of high inflation, the PNCR leader said, the measures would have cushioned the ill effects of the rising cost of living and the decreasing real income of the people of Guyana.

“Recently, the price of flour increased by 15%; cooking gas has reached $5,700 a cylinder, and prices at the pump have jumped as much as 20%. These are only a few examples of the desperate situation our less fortunate citizens find themselves in,” Norton highlighted.

In Mr. Norton’s estimation, the government should consult with the Opposition to chart a way forward on the issue of the high cost of living.

“Failure to consult with an Opposition that represents at least half of Guyana’s population would only be further evidence that the One Guyana policy is nothing short of a cruel joke. It is more worrying when it is noted the PPP/C recent history of discriminating in the distribution of Covid-19 Relief and Flood Relief. The PNCR calls on the PPP/C government to end their divisive politics and treat all Guyanese as equal,” the PNCR leader articulated.

Norton said his party will be closely monitoring the distribution of the $5 billion which was allocated in the 2022 budget to address the cost of living problems.

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