Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Shurwayne Holder, on Wednesday, branded Budget 2021 a disappointment especially to the youth and poor Guyanese who expected greater considerations within the financial document to put them on the path to success.
Standing to address the House, some of what the Opposition MP said was missing from the Budget was a strategic plan to lead the country out of COVID-19; a strategic plan to address school dropouts; an equitable and fair distribution of resources; and real increases in income and elevation of the poor.
“Instead, the population was fed with a political speech on a budget which largely constitutes a sludge fund for the PPP that will breed corruption at unprecedented levels. A budget that caters largely for a small, elite group. A budget that has absolutely no balance between income and expenditure that will most definitely lead to unprecedented borrowing and a drastic increase in the cost of living,” Holder said, adding:
“Mr. Speaker I think I speak for every youth in Guyana when I say that we expected better from our political leaders.”
Meanwhile, he accused the Government of handing out minings licenses to its friends and supporters as opposed to small and medium scale miners who need it most for survival.
On the matter of education, he said that issues such as school dropouts, transportation to school for children in far-flung areas and improving the academic pass rate have not been catered for in the 2021 Budget. However, he said that the Government has directed students to return to schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic without a proper plan to protect them from the virus.
“Mr. Speaker, this Government had five months preparing to be in Government, plus another six months actually in Government, yet they seem clueless after 11 months have elapsed,” Holder said.
“Rather than pumping billions upon billions into the failed sugar industry, the Government could have easily used those monies to ensure that each child has access to internet and that regular, realtime teacher-student classes are held.”
Holder gave no support to the financial document which he said did not include the APNU+AFC’s input. Under the current Government and with Budget 2021, he said that he expects that corruption will flourish to “extraordinary levels” while the youth and poor are placed on the back burner.
