By Celestine Chacon | February 6, 2025
PPP General Secretary and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has strongly criticized the opposition’s budget proposals, describing them as contradictory and lacking a clear vision for the country’s development.
He made these remarks during a press conference at Freedom House earlier today.
Dr. Jagdeo dismissed the statements made by APNU/AFC parliamentarians during the recently concluded Budget Debates.
He particularly took issue with the comments from the leader of the opposition, Aubrey Norton, who had criticized the government for relying too heavily on oil revenue.
Dr. Jagdeo pointed out that while Norton condemned the use of oil money, his own proposals would see a significant increase in oil spending.
He further criticized the opposition’s proposal to drastically raise wages and salaries, a move that would cost billions of dollars.
Dr. Jagdeo argued that this would leave little room for any other development initiatives, suggesting that the opposition’s proposals lacked cohesion and a long-term strategy for the nation’s progress.
Dr. Jagdeo concluded by saying that the opposition’s budget proposals revealed their absence of a clear vision for the future, highlighting contradictions in their promises.
He stressed that the focus on public sector wages would monopolize resources, leaving no room for investment in other critical areas of development.
The 1.38 trillion-dollar budget, the largest in the country’s history, was passed in the National Assembly yesterday.