The people’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has presented its 2025 national budget, themed “A Secure, Prosperous, and Sustainable Guyana.” The proposed expenditure in the $1.382 trillion has sparked intense debate, with critics questioning whether the administration’s spending will truly benefit all Guyanese.
Opposition voices, including Beverly Alert, have raised concerns about transparency, economic management, and the effectiveness of past investments. Alert, in her presentation of the Budget, Day Four of the Debates, emphasised that the money in the budget belongs to the people of Guyana, not PPP/C administration. While the government holds the power to approve and allocate funds, she argued, citizens must see tangible returns on these expenditures.
The Sugar Industry: A Costly Burden?
A major point of contention is the continued financial support for the Guyana Sugar Cooperation (GuySuCo), the state-run sugar corporation. Despite receiving billions in bailouts, the industry has failed to recover, with production continuing to decline. Alert reminded Parliament of the costly mistakes of the past, including the failed Skeldon Sugar Factory, which was expected to produce 110,000 tonnes of sugar but instead became a financial disaster.
She highlighted the folly of government’s approach given that it is fully aware that with the loss of US$37 million annually in preferential market from the European Union a different economic approach to the state-owned GuySuCo became evident.
The Alliance for Change (AFC) parliamentarian reminded the House that Guyana took a loan in excess of $6.4 billion to construct the factory. Shortly after the factory was declared open and ready for business, by then President Bharrat Jagdeo, it collapsed. Today Skeldon stands as evidence of another failed heavily invested project of the Jagdeo administration.
“The government borrowed heavily, banking on sugar, and placed the burden of repaying those loans on the backs of Guyanese,” Alert stated. She pointed out that, even now, the administration continues to invest in a declining sector while neglecting more pressing issues.
She lambasted the government for its “continued spending to fix the unfixable of that folly [Skeldon], money that should have been used to retool, Rose Hall Estate, Enmore Estate, and Wales Estate.”
Education in Crisis
Alert also took aim at the education sector, arguing that despite massive spending, students are not receiving a quality education. Citing official budget data, she noted that in 2024, only 34% of students scored 50% or more in all subjects at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). The 2025 target is 40%, meaning that even if the government meets its goal, more than half of the country’s children will still be struggling academically.
“How can we develop a sustainable Guyana when we are failing at the most basic level—educating our children?” she asked. Alert linked the education crisis to broader social issues, arguing that poor primary education contributes to high dropout rates, which in turn lead to increased criminal activity.
Adding to the education sector’s woes, Alert criticised the PPP administration’s treatment of teachers, accusing the government of stripping the profession of its dignity. She highlighted the recent teacher protests for better wages, arguing that the administration’s handling of the situation has demotivated educators and weakened collective bargaining power.
Healthcare Failures and Growing Poverty
Alert also painted a bleak picture of the state of healthcare in Guyana. She pointed out that, despite the country’s booming oil revenues, many citizens still have to resort to social media to raise funds for medical treatment.
In the world’s fastest-growing economy, where GDP is skyrocketing, people are begging for medical assistance online, she said. She referenced a recent case of a grieving mother who blamed hospital negligence for the death of her newborn and a village council appealing for financial aid for an ill teacher.
Beyond healthcare, Alert raised concerns about the overall economic struggles of the average Guyanese citizen. She cited a UNICEF report indicating that 20% of children in Guyana suffer from “severe food poverty,” meaning their families cannot afford more than two food groups per day. An additional 40% of children experience “moderate food poverty,” receiving only half of the required daily nutrition.
“In an agriculture-based economy with oil wealth, this should not be happening,” Alert declared. She also condemned the PPP’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative, arguing that while it aims to combat period poverty, it highlights the government’s failure to create economic conditions where families can provide basic necessities for their daughters without government intervention.
Who Benefits from Guyana’s Wealth?
Despite Guyana’s vast natural resources—including oil, gold, and fertile agricultural land—Alert argued that wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, while the majority struggle.
She cited a 2024 Business Year report, which states that 48% of Guyanese live on less than US$5.50 a day, ranking the country among those with the highest poverty rates in Latin America and the Caribbean. She blamed bureaucratic inefficiencies, limited government oversight, and corruption for this economic disparity.
“In a country earning $64 million per hour from oil, families are still relying on remittances from relatives abroad to survive,” she said. “The cost of living is rising, and for many, poverty is deepening.”
Call for Accountability
Alert concluded her critique of the Budget by calling for greater transparency and accountability in government spending. She accused the PPP of using state resources to create an elite class while ignoring the struggles of ordinary citizens.
“The government boasts about economic growth, but the reality is different for the average Guyanese. The people deserve better,” she said.
With the PPP’s majority in Parliament, the $1.3 trillion budget is expected to pass. However, questions remain about whether these funds will truly lead to the “secure, prosperous, and sustainable” future the government promises—or if they will follow the pattern of past budgets, with billions spent and little to show for it.
