Member of Parliament Geeta Chandan-Edmund of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) sparked significant conversation last Friday with her budgetary presentation during the opening of the 2025 parliamentary debate.
Chandan-Edmund’s speech emphasised her vision for a more inclusive political landscape in Guyana, advocating for a national budget that reflects the desires of all Guyanese. She argued that the budget should not be “a source of contention in the House once our [A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC)] proposals and recommendations are considered.”
Her remarks echoed the widespread sentiment in the country, supported by Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution, which mandates a political system of “inclusionary democracy.”
Despite local and international calls for a more inclusive approach to governance in Guyana, the Irfaan Ali administration has largely ignored these appeals. The Joe Biden-administration, through Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had called on the government to pursue policies of shared prosperity and inclusive democracy. Similar call was made by United States House Minority Leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D).
While Chandan-Edmund acknowledged certain positive aspects of the budget, such as measures aimed at alleviating the cost of living, she stressed that these efforts are insufficient. She called for more substantial reforms, such as the abolition of VAT (Value Added Tax), which she argued would improve the quality of life for all citizens.
The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has similarly advocated for the removal of PAYE (Pay As You Earn) taxes, suggesting that such a move would provide much-needed economic relief for workers in an oil-rich economy.
A recent World Bank fact sheet stated that approximately 48 per cent of the population lives in poverty, that is, on less than US$5.50 per day or GY$1200.00. Analysts believe the figure is much higher when the working poor, pensioners, and unemployed are included. Shadow Minister of Finance, Juretha Fernandes, in her budgetary presentation on Friday noted that between 2019-2024 food inflation rose by 44.8 percent, placing a significant burden on the working poor.
In her address, Chandan-Edmund also made a passionate appeal for greater inclusion. She expressed support for any effort to unite Guyanese and encouraged the Ali administration to extend development works to all communities in the ten administrative regions of the country.
The Ali-government is known to ignore communities, Regional and Neigbourhood Democratic Councils, that support the Opposition, APNU+AFC. Within recent weeks, in what is an apparent attempt at electioneering and buying votes with taxpayers’ money, the government has been going into opposition strongholds, throwing what critics referred to as “trinkets in efforts to buy votes.”
The parliamentarian expressed the view that there are measures in the budget that can and should be supported by all sides- measures she said, that is at the heart of what Government is about, i.e. improving the lives of all our people. She called for leadership that prioritises equality and the advancement of all Guyanese.
Making known that she has confidence in the success of Guyana that translates to the development of all Guyanese, Chandan-Edmund said she commend policies that move to advance equality, measures to uplift the people of Guyana. To this end she made a direct pitch and challenge to President Irfaan Ali.
Referencing the Marvel Comic superhero, Spiderman, Chandan-Edmund said the President has two paths and can choose one: soared to the revered role of the heroic champion, Spiderman, and create a better society for all or “take on the dreadful guise of Green Goblin of Guyana.”
Concluding her speech, the parliamentarian called on fellow parliamentarians to rise above the fray and provide the representation the people expect from them. She said she “lend [s] full support to the positive budgetary measures of this budget,” expressly stating support for the alleviation of poverty, and made a play on the words/acronym- People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and the president’s last name (Ali).
Chandan-Edmund said she supports progress, peace, prosperity and commitment (PPP/C); and ambition, liberty and inspiration (Ali). While making this statement, she held up in her hand, a booklet by former President David Granger, who coined the new meaning for PPP/C, making known that were the party a government of all the people, it would have embodied the identified concepts. This has created quite a stir in political circles, with some in the opposition finding themselves caught off guard by her wordplay, while the ruling PPP/C has seized on the moment for political advantage.
