“Every dollar in budget has a human face” – Minister McCoy

On Wednesday, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy defended Budget 2026 as a people-centred plan designed to improve the daily lives of Guyanese, insisting that every dollar allocated under the spending programme is intended to produce tangible human benefit.
Speaking during the debate in the National Assembly, McCoy rejected claims from the opposition that the budget excludes sections of the population, arguing that it is instead structured to reach every class, race and category of people across the country.
“Every dollar in this budget has a human face. Every single dollar,” McCoy told the House, framing the budget not as an academic or accounting exercise but as a governing instrument rooted in lived realities.
He said the central objective of Budget 2026 is to impact measurable improvement in the quality of life of ordinary citizens and described it as part of a continuous development programme rather than a one-off intervention.
According to the Minister, infrastructure spending in particular has been wrongly criticised, despite its direct role in creating opportunity and income at the grassroots level. He argued that roads, bridges, housing projects and public works do not merely represent concrete and steel but livelihoods for thousands of Guyanese.
“Infrastructure has a human face behind it,” McCoy said. “It provides opportunity for contractors. It provides opportunities for people in small businesses. It provides opportunity for the man and the woman.”
To illustrate that point, McCoy shared the example of a young woman who for several years sold food at construction sites, waking before dawn each day to prepare and distribute meals. He said that through consistent work and by taking advantage of opportunities created by the construction boom, she has since expanded her income base.
“Today, she is also the proud owner of a taxi service with four cars,” he said, using the example to argue that public investment can create pathways for social mobility.
McCoy maintained that Budget 2026 caters to a wide cross-section of the population, including public servants, teachers, doctors, nurses, members of the disciplined services, farmers, entrepreneurs, youth, women and persons living with disabilities. He dismissed assertions that public servants would see no benefit, pointing to salary adjustments and support programmes embedded within the fiscal framework.
“This budget is not just an economic or academic exercise; it is a governing instrument for real people,” McCoy reiterated.
Addressing the issue of cost of living, the Minister outlined what he described as significant fiscal interventions aimed at protecting household purchasing power amid global inflationary pressures. He said the Government has implemented a combination of tax reversals, foregone revenues and direct transfers to cushion families from rising costs.
“The quantified interventions amount to an estimated $307.2 billion in fiscal relief measures,” McCoy said, noting that these include subsidies and tax measures totalling more than $200 billion designed to reduce household cost pressures.
He argued that these measures reflect a deliberate policy posture focused on maintaining social stability, strengthening welfare resilience and ensuring that economic growth translates into meaningful outcomes for citizens.
McCoy credited the formulation of the budget to what he described as a clear vision from President Dr Irfaan Ali and the translation of that vision into policy by Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh. He said the Administration’s ability to craft such a budget is rooted in sustained engagement with communities and responsiveness to the concerns raised by citizens.
According to the Minister, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration has earned public trust through delivery rather than rhetoric, and that trust continues to underpin public support for its development agenda.
“This budget provides opportunity for every single person across our country,” McCoy said, adding that while challenges remain, progress since 2020 has been measurable and widespread.
McCoy assured that the Government remains committed to continuous improvement, describing Budget 2026 as another step in a long-term process aimed at national development and individual advancement.
“We are humble to serve the people of this country. We will continue to invest in all the things that you need to make sure that your lives become better as the days go by,” McCoy said.