A social media post calling for Guyanese to consider a no-confidence motion against the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government is gaining traction online, tapping into growing concerns over public spending, accountability and whether the country’s oil wealth is delivering meaningful benefits to ordinary citizens.
The post, published by resident Shamel K. Shaffee on the popular “BARTICA” Facebook page, which boasts almost 20,000 followers, argues that Guyanese were persuaded to remove the APNU+AFC administration over allegations of wasteful spending while paying insufficient attention to what he describes as far larger expenditures and questionable financial management under the current government.
Invoking memories of the political turmoil that followed the December 2018 No-Confidence Motion against the coalition government, Shaffee contends that projects such as Durban Park, the Sussex Street drug bond, government travel expenses, the Ocean View Infectious Diseases Hospital and the acquisition of a water ambulance became symbols of alleged mismanagement that ultimately helped shape public opinion before the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
“This is your Guyana,” Shaffee wrote. “Controlling the minds of Guyanese happens very easily. Spreading fear and deception has become common among politicians and more so during the election period.“
His post seeks to place those controversies alongside the unprecedented growth in government spending since the PPP/C returned to office in August 2020, fueled by billions of U.S. dollars in oil revenues.
According to official budget figures, government expenditure grew from G$221 billion in 2015 to G$329.5 billion in 2020 under the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration. Under the PPP/C, annual budgets have expanded dramatically, climbing from G$383.1 billion in 2021 to G$1.382 trillion in 2025—more than four times the size of the national budget a decade ago.
For Shaffee, the central issue is not merely the size of the budgets but whether the public is receiving value for money.
He points to projects whose costs have become subjects of public debate, including the National Aquatic Centre, the acquisition of a newer water ambulance and, most notably, the government’s flagship Gas-to-Energy Project at Wales.
The Gas-to-Energy initiative, touted by President Irfaan Ali’s administration as a transformative investment capable of reducing electricity costs and stimulating industrial development, has seen its projected cost rise substantially since its inception and has experienced delays. Government officials maintain that the project remains essential to Guyana’s long-term development strategy, while others have questioned procurement decisions, cost escalations and oversight mechanisms.
The post also references findings by the Auditor General’s Office that have repeatedly highlighted weaknesses in public financial management. Recent audit reports identified more than G$1 billion in overpayments to contractors and cited hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditures that auditors were unable to verify because supporting documentation was not presented for examination.
While government agencies often respond that many of the issues are administrative and subsequently corrected, the recurring findings have become a rallying point for those demanding stronger accountability for the rapidly expanding public purse.
Shaffee’s message goes beyond infrastructure and public contracts. He argues that despite Guyana’s oil-fueled economic boom, many citizens continue to struggle with rising living costs, crime, drug abuse, social decay and inadequate public services.
“Billions allocated but the cost of living is out of control,” he wrote, urging citizens to focus on issues affecting families and communities rather than political messaging.
Most strikingly, the post frames the debate as a warning against concentrated political power.
“Guyanese must never hand the power to one-party rule,” Shaffee declared, arguing that democracy requires robust opposition voices and continuous scrutiny of government actions.
The comments arrive amid an increasingly polarised political environment, where debates over governance, transparency and the management of oil revenues are expected to dominate public discourse ahead of the next election cycle.
Whether Shaffee’s call for a no-confidence motion gains political momentum remains to be seen. But the popularity of his message reflects a broader unease in a country that has generated billions of U.S. dollars in oil revenues while significant sections of the population continue to grapple with high living costs, inadequate public services and persistent social challenges.
Government spending now runs into the trillions of dollars, while oil revenues continue to pour into the Treasury at unprecedented levels. Yet the national conversation is increasingly shifting beyond headline growth figures and record budgets. The central issue is whether the country’s vast financial resources are being managed with sufficient transparency, accountability and oversight, and whether the benefits are reaching ordinary citizens. For many Guyanese, the defining question of the oil era is no longer how much money the country is earning, but why widespread social and economic challenges persist despite unprecedented national wealth.
See the post here
