Vendors express praise and concern over Budget 2023

For them, the impact is rarely felt; and their concerns about poor roads, drainage, and the lack of other infrastructure in their villages remain largely unresolved.

Vendors express praise and concern over Budget 2023

Four days after the $781.9B Budget was presented to the National Assembly, some of the country’s vendors in the capital city of Georgetown seem unmoved with the majority of them telling News Source that regardless of its magnitude, they still have to get up and go to work to earn an honest dollar.

For them, the impact is rarely felt; and their concerns about poor roads, drainage, and the lack of other infrastructure in their villages remain largely unresolved.

But for the few persons, who spoke to News Source at the Stabroek and Bourda Markets, the Budget is one to be praised, but also one to be condemned.

Forty-eight-year-old June Ann Johnson sang praises for the Government over its decision to increase the cash-grant for school-aged children from $25,000 to $35,000.

“What I think, whatever the budget bring out right now, at least me Guyanese, June Ann grateful for whatever they bring out until better could be done. So I thank the President and Cabinet for doing the great job that they are doing because the school children at least, it was very nice for them, at least it helps them, the school children, the old age people. Everything they do we must give thanks,” Ms Johnson said.

 Another vendor, 36-year-old Manasseh Primo also applauded the Government on the measures and projects proposed in the budget.

“I think it is a good thing because I saw the pensioners an increase in their pension, and I saw other increases in the various sectors. I think it is fair enough, I think it is good. Mr Ali has been so spectacular and so beautiful, coming down in the streets, seeing people, meeting people, that is so good Mr Ali, and the school vouchers even better,” Mr Primo said.

Fifty-one-year-old Colleen William-Bacchus said a lot of parents will be happy with the increase in the cash grant.

“I know this president can do it. And he doing it again, and again and again. All God ask you, is to do good, and good shall follow you. Not because he is the president of this country, he just doing good,” the vendor said.

However, Eslyn Leitch said while she is somewhat pleased with the cash grant for school-aged children, the country’s pensioners deserve much more than the $5,000 added to the existing pension. Old Age pension is expected to increase to $33,000.

“The pensions have to pay a lot of bills – they have water bill; they have light bills. They have to buy medication because the hospitals don’t have. When they go to the hospital, they give them a long prescription, the hospital don’t have no medication for the old people. So, I don’t think it is right, the $5,000 that they put on, on the pension, I don’t think that is right,” she reasoned.

The food vendor also complained about the distribution of resources and the execution of projects across the country, claiming that certain communities are being neglected. “Don’t segregate, and that’s what they are doing but we don’t want that, we need everyone to live as one,” she said.

Another man, identified as Terry, also expressed the view that pensioners should be getting more than $33,000 a month.

“I think it is fair and reasonable, a little bit for something, but the old age pension should be a little bit more. I would say about $50,000 or so. But whatever they offer is reasonable,” Terry said.

Shopper, Jennifer Dean said the Government must do more to bring down the cost of living.

“We need a better living standard, things in the market are very expensive. We need the cost of living to go down because the cost of living going up every day. We need better living standard,” she said.

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, in analysing the budget, said it fell short in addressing the high rate of inflation and the steep rise in cost of living but the country’s main private sector bodies said that it is a people centered budget that would undoubtedly stimulate economic activities.

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