Shadow Attorney General Roysdale Forde and Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton opened the 2024 National Budget Debates in the National Assembly on Monday morning at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. This comes one week after the 2024 Budget presentation by Senior Finance Minister Ashni Singh.
Forde questioned the current PPP/C administration’s $1.146 National Budget, stating it fails to target vulnerable groups. He challenges the Government to create specific measures to address poverty in Guyana, in such a way that citizens can afford basic amenities.
Minister Hamilton addressed these statements in his speech, where he reminded the Assembly that the Government was making the necessary interventions, sharing testimonies from citizens on how they have benefitted from these measures.
Shortly after Minister Hamilton, Opposition Member of Parliament Juretha Fernandes took to the podium. She addressed and lamented the lack of provisions by the Government to improve the lives of citizens.
According to the AFC party member, the 2024 Budget caters to the “contractor class” and does not allow for normal citizens to benefit.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, challenged the “tasteless” debate presented by Fernandes, asserting that “it addresses all the problems we are facing, including building a country.”
The budget debates will continue into the week, ending on Friday, and will feature members of both sides of the house delivering their views and stance on the 2024 National Budget.