As Guyana prepares for its upcoming General and Regional Elections, constitutionally due this year, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has issued a blistering evaluation of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government’s handling of the economy. The political party, which has long been critical of the administration’s performance, has given the government a resounding “failing grade” on its management of the nation’s economic affairs, especially in light of Guyana’s rapid transformation into a petrostate.
Despite Guyana’s position as the world’s fastest-growing economy and its status as the richest nation per capita due to the booming oil and gas sector, the WPA contends that the wealth generated has not been effectively channeled into improving the living conditions of the average citizen. The party argues that, while the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has soared, poverty remains pervasive across the nation, with nearly half of the population still living in hardship.
Poverty still grips nearly half of the population. Many children are deprived of three nutritious meals a day, and the secondary school dropout rate remains alarmingly high at 50 percent.
Public sector wages are stagnant, and the cost of living continues to rise unchecked, the WPA noted in its statement. The party also expressed concerns over the worsening electricity crisis and the continued financial burden of the struggling sugar industry. In 2024 the government injected approximately GY$15 billion to bail out the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuSuCo), that continues to underperform.
While the government has frequently touted the country’s economic growth due to oil revenues, the WPA argues that the current administration has not taken the necessary steps to harness these resources for broader, long-term socio-economic transformation. The party contends that, instead of capitalising on the windfall to diversify the economy, the government has become overly reliant on oil and gas, while neglecting critical non-oil sectors.
The WPA identifies several key areas of government failure. Among the most significant criticisms is the lack of a coherent vision for the country’s economic future. “The government’s agenda is confined to the promises in its manifesto—this is a narrow and limited scope,” the WPA claimed, emphasising that a robust and inclusive national vision must extend beyond election promises.
The party also highlights the government’s preoccupation with maintaining political control and dominance, with policies tailored more to securing its hold on power rather than advancing the welfare of the population. WPA further points to systemic corruption, substandard infrastructure projects, and widespread nepotism as clear indicators of the government’s ineffectiveness.
Criticism also centers on the administration’s approach to governance, with the WPA accusing the government of undermining the rule of law, circumventing transparency, and shutting out opposition voices from meaningful involvement in shaping policy. The lack of equitable distribution of resources across social and ethnic lines is another major point of contention.
In its final critique, the WPA contends that the government’s reliance on unstructured cash handouts, rather than more targeted initiatives like structured cash transfers and wage/salary increases, has failed to address the deeper socio-economic disparities facing the population.
Though acknowledging that it may be too early for a final assessment, the WPA is adamant that the evidence thus far points to a government underperforming in its duty to effectively manage the nation’s newfound wealth and guide Guyana toward true socio-economic transformation.
