Budget 2025 is all about providing ‘cradle to grave’ care for Guyanese – Rodrigues

– as Govt MPs laud transformational measures in budget

Describing the 2025 budget as one that takes care of Guyanese from “cradle to grave”, a term synonymous with the oil and gas sector for how oil wells are managed, Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Susan Rodrigues, was one of the Government Members of Parliament who threw their support behind the budget.
The first day of the budget debates saw both sides of the aisle speaking up for and against the budget. In her presentation, Rodrigues highlighted that, to the unbiased observer, the budget is one that emphasizes taking care of the citizens, including the $100,000 per newborn baby bonus.

In one of the most novel measures ever rolled out in Guyana, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, in his budget presentation, announced a one-off $100,000 cash grant for every baby newly born in Guyana to a Guyanese mother.
This puts Guyana in the company of other countries like Singapore, Finland and France, which have implemented what is known as a ‘baby bonus’ that sees varying forms of cash incentives being provided to parents of newborns.
According to Rodrigues, the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) government took from the people, rather than gave to them.
“This administration, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government, has policies that will take care of people from the cradle to the grave. Cradle-to-grave care! From the time you are born, every Guyanese mother will be given $100,000, compliments of the Government of Guyana,” Rodrigues declared.
“From the time the APNU/AFC started, they put VAT on medical supplies. Under their leadership, it became more expensive to access medical care in this country. Putting VAT on supplies and medication! From the time the children start school, they will receive the Because we Care grant. They will go to school and get text books. They will get meals at their schools. All of that provided by our government’s policies,” she added.

Also highlighting the transformational effect the budget will have on Guyana was Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, who noted that the 2025 budget is one meant to empower the people.
“This budget places a particular emphasis on enhancing Guyana’s infrastructural capacity, with monumental investments in energy, transportation and the other sectors…with respect to the Government’s recognition that modern infrastructure (is) integral to the improvement of living standards across our country,” McCoy said.
McCoy also referred to the mismanagement of the former government, which left the economy in a sordid condition. According to the Minister, the people can judge for themselves how much better off Guyana is now under the PPPC Administration.
“The lacklustre governance of the APNU/AFC manifested into catastrophic job losses in every sector of the country, affecting the livelihood of over 30,000 Guyanese workers. There was a further tragic impact on 70,000 family members. Today, Guyanese see the progress that is not marred by empty rhetoric, but is grounded in real, impactful action and progress that includes every single Guyanese,” he said.

Government Member of Parliament Sanjeev Datadin also highlighted the fact that, almost five years after its return to office, the PPP/C government has demonstrated its commitment to keeping its promises.
“That is what keeping your promise looks like! That is what caring about the people of Guyana looks like! Don’t say you’re going to have a policy to benefit them and for which they would be able to develop their companies and earn revenue and you don’t actually do it!” Datadin said.
In addition to the $100,000 payout for every newborn, budget 2025 raises pensions from $36,000 per month to $41,000 per month. According to Finance Minister Dr Singh in his budget presentation, this measure would place an additional $4.5 billion of disposable income in the hands of over 76,000 old-age pensioners.
This latest increase means that pension has been doubled since 2020. In 2021, all old-age pensioners were given $25,000 monthly; in 2022 that sum was increased to $28,000, and in 2023 that sum was further increased to $33,000.
The Finance Minister has also announced that public assistance would be increased from $19,000 to $22,000 as of January 1, 2025. He pointed out that the previous APNU/AFC administration had made a promise to double public assistance, but they never did.
Last year, the PPP/C Government had set aside $5 billion for cost-of-living measures aimed at easing the burden of rising costs on citizens. This year, the Government would be setting aside $9 billion.
Another measure that was announced is a $10,000 universal healthcare voucher for every citizen, which will be distributed to every person to finance basic health tests. According to the Finance Minister, this would cost the Government an estimated $5 billion and target potentially 500,000 persons.