Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud has urged the opposition members of parliament to set aside partisan rhetoric in favor of national progress, declaring that the future of our women should not be politicised.

She was at the time robustly defending the 2026 budget and the allocations to her ministry. Minister Persaud described this year’s budget as a comprehensive shield for Guyana’s most vulnerable, asserting that it moves beyond mere numbers to expand the nation’s social safety nets.

“If you look at the $78.3 billion budget that has been allocated to this ministry, $70 billion of that is going directly to the hands of the beneficiaries across the length and breadth of Guyana,” she told the House.

Focusing on gender empowerment, the Minister lauded the success of the Women’s Innovation Investment Network (WIIN), which she said has empowered 21,000 women since 2021 at no cost to them.

She pointed to a massive increase in the training budget from a mere $10.9 million under the previous administration to $330 million today. According to the Minister, this investment is yielding global results as Guyana has moved up four places on the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Index, ranking 31st out of 149 countries.

“Guyana has been enjoying a massive boom in construction, and I’ve always felt, why shouldn’t the women be part of this journey of construction? And so last year, 129 women were trained through the UK City and Guilds Programme in carpentry, welding, masonry, electrical installation and plumbing. This year, we’re going to train even more of them,” she pointed out.

She further emphasised that the government’s intention in all areas of development, from healthcare to education and homeownership, is to close the gender gap.

“We are narrowing that divide, and we must continue to do it. There are some things that we should not politicise, and I don’t believe in politicising the future of our women. Women are an important part of our country.” she said.

Minister Persaud also highlighted the massive growth in social safety nets since the current administration took office, reminding that the number of pensioners has grown to over 90,000 individuals.

Old Age Pension is set to increase from $41,000 to $46,000, benefiting approximately 95,000 pensioners and injecting an additional $5.7 billion into their households. To further support the elderly, the government has introduced a new annual Transportation and Support Grant of $20,000 for every pensioner.

Support for other vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities is equally prioritised, with Public Assistance monthly payments increasing from $22,000 to $25,000, reaching over 46,000 beneficiaries.

The minister asked the opposition directly what they would choose to cut from such a budget and challenged them to tell the person with permanent disabilities or the pensioner that they do not support these increases.

She stated, “I want the members in this house, when they say they will not support this budget, they don’t agree with this budget, tell the women in Baracara who have a new sewing hub and who have been empowered through this program, tell the women in Sophia who are churning out garments that I’m so proud of… go and tell the women in Cane Grove that this budget has nothing [for them].”

The minister also noted that there have been significant strides in childcare and protection, with a consistent reduction in child abuse cases from over 4,000 to just over 3,000. She pointed to the first integrated early childhood development policy and the creation of modern day and night care facilities to support working parents.

Budget 2026 also includes provisions for upgrades to the Palms Geriatric Home, complemented by a $1.5 billion co-investment fund to support private child and elderly care facilities under capped service rates.

Additionally, the government has budgeted $300 million to complete the Providence Day and Night Care facility while commencing four additional centers across the country.

Minister Persaud urged the opposition to remove their “peculiar political cataract” and recognise the human impact of the fiscal projections. She maintained that the government is not just building infrastructure but building people through an integrated and comprehensive outlook.