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The huge sum of $44,794,011,175 in supplementary financing was
approved at a sitting of the National Assembly on Monday August 8. The
spending was approved without any input from APNU+AFC Members of
Parliament (MPs) who had boycotted the sitting after eight opposition
MPs were suspended on the recommendation of the parliamentary
Committee of Privileges. The government’s request to the National
Assembly for the enormous sum of money came on July 21 only six
months after the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime presented a
$552.9 billion budget in January 2022.
The PPP government — in laying out how its plans to spend the money
— said that about half of the funds, some $21.050 billion, will go towards
the Ministry of Housing and Water. About $15.9 billion is to be used for
infrastructural works. Hinterland water supply will get some $250.5
million, and $660 million will be used to replace deteriorated pipelines in
Georgetown and other urban areas. Government said ,too, that water
treatment facilities will be upgraded at a cost of more that $4.2 billion.
The government said that food security, women’s affairs, youth
empowerment, children’s needs, other miscellaneous facilities, various
services, education initiatives, infrastructural works and eco-tourism will
also benefit from the supplementary funds. The Ministry of Agriculture
will receive a sum of $1.9 billion, of which $1.431 billion will be used to
provide additional support to the sugar industry.
