A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) parliamentarian Kuice Sharma Solomon, responsible for natural resources, sharply criticized Budget 2026 on Day 2 of National Assembly debates, calling the $1.558 trillion plan “fiction” and accusing the government of prioritizing political allies over ordinary citizens.
Solomon highlighted the persistent poverty affecting resource-rich regions. “After years of expanding budgets, record oil revenues…58% of the population lives in poverty and survives on almost $1,200 a day. Thirty-eight percent live in extreme poverty on almost $650 a day,” he said, citing Inter-American Development Bank figures.
He said the government has failed to deliver meaningful benefits to Hinterland and extractive regions, particularly Regions 1, 7, 8, 9, and 10, which supply much of the nation’s resources but remain “structurally and socially underdeveloped.”
Turning to mining, Solomon contrasted APNU’s track record with the current administration. “From 2016 to 2020, we had a gold declaration of over 700,000 ounces…But when the Coalition left, we have never found a 500,000 ounce target again,” he said, noting that despite record gold prices, supply targets remain unmet.
Solomon also criticized the lack of transparency in the oil sector, saying the government has yet to make mining contracts publicly available for scrutiny, unlike APNU’s handling of the Exxon oil contract.
Forestry and timber operations also came under fire. Solomon said communities in extraction zones remain impoverished, with minimal reinvestment or value-added processing. “To date, not a single small logger has benefited from the $900 million promised in 2020,” he said. He added that sand and quarry extraction has caused environmental damage without supporting local infrastructure.
Region 10, Solomon argued, epitomizes government neglect. “This is one of Guyana’s richest resource regions and one of its most neglected,” he said, noting that residents had no input into Budget 2026, aside from six new roads. He cited unaddressed infrastructure needs in Linden, Kwakwani, and Ituni, including schools, drains, and airstrips.
He called for a “new social contract” with extractive communities, including revenue sharing, local employment quotas, and environmental accountability. “Other mining jurisdictions, including Canada and Australia, have legally mandated community benefits. Guyana must follow this model,” he said.
Solomon also questioned government claims of fighting corruption, arguing that policies alone are insufficient. “Putting people first requires more than fancy numbers. It requires work that benefits ordinary Guyanese, not families, friends, and favorites,” he said, citing mismanagement in Linden.
He concluded by highlighting APNU’s past achievements in the gold sector, asserting that the Coalition had successfully raised gold declarations to over 700,000 ounces and calling on the current administration to implement policies that deliver tangible benefits to resource communities.
“Putting people first is not a slogan. It is ensuring that ordinary Guyanese benefit from the resources of their country, that poverty is reduced, and that governance is accountable,” he said.
