Former Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine, who also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Institute for Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD), has expressed concerns about the lack of focus on the real issues affecting everyday citizens, during the just concluded $1.382 Trillion Budget Debate.
Drawing an analogy to the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, Narine
Narine’s comments come in the wake of a heated debate in the National Assembly, where both Government and Opposition parties have laid out competing visions for Guyana’s future. While the debate has been passionate, Narine contends that it has failed to directly address the critical, day-to-day concerns of the Guyanese population.
“In the Mahabharata, King Dhritarashtra was blind to the real struggles of his people, even as he sat on his throne,” Narine explained in a letter that appeared in this publication yesterday.
Similarly, in this budget debate, both sides of the House seem unaware of people’s cries. Narine contends the rhetoric is disconnected from the realities faced by ordinary Guyanese citizens; those struggling with poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunity.”
According to Narine, both the government and opposition parties have shown a tendency to focus on political point-scoring rather than substantive solutions. The government’s promises of grand infrastructural developments are often dismissed by the opposition as political favouritism, while the opposition’s criticisms of fiscal mismanagement and lack of transparency are equally dismissed by the government. Narine sees this as a dangerous pattern that results in a budget proposal that does not reflect the true needs of the people.
“Too often, the debate becomes a series of soundbytes and political one-upmanship, with little consideration for the human element. The suffering of the working-class citizens, the farmers struggling to make a living, and the youth who are yearning for opportunity seem to fade into the background,” Narine added.
He further emphasised that the proposed 2025 budget seems increasingly distant from the daily challenges faced by the Guyanese public. While both sides present a vision of a brighter future, for many, the current reality remains clouded by economic disparity, underdevelopment, and an ever-widening gap between the rich and poor.
In making his pitch for a different approach to the allocation of resources (expenditures) Narine says what Guyana needs is a budget that speaks to the here and now—investments in education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation. At the same time he urged a rethinking in the approach to representation, given that the people of Guyana deserve a government that sees them, hears them, and understands their struggles.
