By Kristin Josiah, NCN News | January 20, 2025
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has emphasized that the primary beneficiaries of the 1.4 trillion-dollar budget for 2025 will be the citizens of Guyana, with a particular focus on improving the livelihoods of all, including the unemployed.
Nandlall shared this insight during an interview on the Budget in Focus Programme, aired over the weekend.
He highlighted several initiatives in the budget that are aimed at reducing the cost of living and enhancing the quality of life for Guyanese.
Among these are the abolition of bridge tolls for the Demerara River Crossing and the new Berbice River Bridge, a 100,000-dollar incentive for every child born to a Guyanese mother, free university education, and a 10,000-dollar universal health voucher.
These measures, according to Nandlall, are designed to ease financial burdens on the population, especially those struggling with transportation and healthcare costs.
Additionally, Nandlall discussed the government’s vision for extensive infrastructure development, such as the 88-billion-dollar Gas to Energy Project.
He pointed out that by addressing the high cost of electricity, the project would lower manufacturing costs, ultimately resulting in reduced prices for local goods and benefiting businesses and consumers alike.
In response to criticisms from the opposition, who labeled the 2025 budget as the “worst” in the country’s history, Nandlall firmly defended the budget, reiterating that the government is prioritizing investments directly benefiting the people of Guyana.
The budget also allocates 1.9 billion dollars for the expansion and upgrading of Guyana’s court system, a move that falls under the jurisdiction of Nandlall’s office.
This allocation is aimed at improving the infrastructure and efficiency of the legal sector.
Nandlall concluded by emphasizing the government’s commitment to making Guyana a more prosperous and accessible place for its citizens through these strategic investments.