The 2026 Budget of $1.558 trillion presented by the PPP Government should have marked a turning point for transparency and inclusive development. Instead, it reflects a pro-corruption approach that entrenches secrecy, weakens accountability, and favours friends, family, and the wealthy elite over ordinary citizens.
At its core, a national budget is a moral document. It reflects not only fiscal priorities but also political values. This budget signals that the government is more comfortable concentrating power and resources than subjecting itself to rigorous oversight. Large allocations are announced with fanfare, yet details are thin, implementation frameworks are vague, and performance benchmarks are either absent or unenforceable. When spending increases without corresponding transparency, corruption does not merely become possible—it becomes predictable.
For everyday Guyanese, the consequences are clear. Cost-of-living pressures persist, public services remain inconsistent, and promised development often fails to reach communities most in need. A national budget should serve the many, not reward the connected few.
Without transparency, accountability, and equity at its core, the 2026 Budget deepens public distrust and misses a historic opportunity to use national wealth for the benefit of all.
