The budget debates for the fiscal year 2024 have commenced in Guyana’s National Assembly, one week after the government presented the country’s largest national budget, amounting to $1.146 trillion.
The debates provide an opportunity for both government and opposition representatives to express their views on the budget’s content and allocations.
Opposition Parliamentarian Roysdale Forde opened the debates by characterizing the 2024 fiscal plan as “uninspiring.”
He accused the government of lacking long-term plans for the country and claimed that the administration’s financial blueprint lacks insight.
Forde’s remarks were countered by government MP and Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton.
He rejected the characterization of the budget, stating that the government has allocated significant funds to key sectors, including $129.8 billion for the health sector, $135.2 billion for education, and $48.3 billion for human services and social security initiatives.
Minister Hamilton defended the government’s investments in human resource capacity, emphasizing scholarships and technical training for ordinary citizens.
He pointed out that over 20,000 GOAL (Guyana Online Academy of Learning) scholarships have been awarded since 2021, in addition to the regular scholarship program run by the Public Service Ministry.
Hamilton argued that the government is making targeted investments where necessary and surpassing the efforts of the previous APNU+AFC coalition, which was in office from 2015 to 2020.
The budget debates provide a platform for representatives to scrutinize and discuss the budget’s provisions, offering insights into the perspectives of both the government and the opposition regarding the financial plan for the upcoming fiscal year.