Declaring that “all is not well,” A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament with responsibility for Housing and Home Affairs Sherod Duncan on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Government’s 2026 Budget, contending that unprecedented spending levels have failed to translate into real improvements in housing, infrastructure or democratic accountability.
Addressing the National Assembly on day two of the budget debates, Duncan stressed that opposition scrutiny remains indispensable. “We’re going to trust, but we verify,” he said, cautioning that without rigorous examination, government narratives risk obscuring the lived realities of citizens.
Duncan criticised what he described as democratic backsliding, pointing to delays in the election of the Leader of the Opposition and the prolonged election of the Region 10 Chairman. He also condemned the continued non-functioning of parliamentary committees, questioning why they have not met since Parliament resumed on November 3, 2025.
“Denying those committees from their operation is part of rolling back the democratic process in this House,” he said.
The APNU MP strongly condemned restrictions placed on media access to parliamentary proceedings, calling it a break from long-standing democratic norms. “I am condemning that in the strongest possible terms,” Duncan said, adding that the House must “immediately rescind the restraints and restore full unfettered access to all accredited media.”
Turning to infrastructure and hinterland development, Duncan said government ministers often speak positively in Parliament but fail to acknowledge serious deficiencies in remote regions. He cited Region One, accusing the administration of ignoring deteriorating schools, ports and stellings until opposition members brought them to public attention.
Referring to Hosororo Secondary School, Duncan said after spending $3 billion, indigenous children were still being handed over substandard facilities. He also pointed to failing stellings in Morawhanna, Mabaruma and Port Kaituma. “Unless we had brought this matter to the public’s attention, it would not have been where it is,” he said.
Duncan criticised the government’s approach to governance, accusing senior officials of being detached from realities on the ground. “They stay in their ivory towers, in their $80 million Volvo vehicles, and they pontificate while the people’s money is being wasted,” he said.
He highlighted high living costs in hinterland communities, noting that a bottle of cooking gas in Imbaimadai costs about $16,000 compared with $4,500 on the coast. He also criticised repeated failures in airstrip rehabilitation, including at Paruima and Mabaruma, saying taxpayers were forced to pay twice for defective work.
On housing, Duncan argued that despite large budget allocations, home ownership has become more difficult under the current administration. Citing government figures, he said while 53,000 house lots were allocated, only about 25,000 titles were issued, limiting many citizens’ ability to access bank financing.
“How many people can’t go to the bank in this country?” he asked.
He questioned claims of widespread housing delivery, pointing to defective and abandoned projects in Five Miles, Bartica, Polk Bridge in Region Nine, and Non Pariel on the East Coast. In Pork Bridge, he said government-built homes were so small that residents had to step outside to turn around. “Our people must be housed with dignity,” Duncan said.
Duncan further criticised the allocation-based housing model, saying it has failed to meet demand, with some 78,000 applications outstanding. He noted that despite trillions of dollars in revenue since 2020, the government has built only about 4,000 houses in five years.
“With trillions of dollars, and at full capacity, you can only do 4,000 homes in five years, and now you’re telling us 40,000 in the next five,” he said. “Make it make sense.” The Government of Guyana has earned more than US$8 billion in oil and gas revenue since first oil in 2019.
He also questioned the government’s flagship Silica City project, describing it as disconnected from surrounding communities and unaffordable for most Guyanese. “Silica City is the next Pradoville,” Duncan said, noting that houses cost a minimum of $35 million and remain largely unoccupied despite having full infrastructure, while nearby communities lack basic services and security.
In closing, Duncan said the opposition’s role is not exposing for the sake of exposing but to ensure accountability and better outcomes for citizens. He maintained that there remains “a total mismatch” between the budget estimates and realities on the ground and said the opposition would continue its scrutiny when detailed estimates are examined next week.
