Dear Editor,
The lion-hearted Finance Minister, feisty Dr. Ashni Singh, stood firmly as he fearlessly faced a rowdy, rumbustious, and raging Opposition who tried all the underhand, low-blow and below-the-belt attitudes as they annoyingly attempted to disrupt, interrupt, and prevent the unperturbed but smiling Minister from delivering the unprecedented budget, which only gets bigger and better yearly as the PPP/C Government weather the Herculean task of propelling Guyana’s economic development through growth, sustainability and empowerment.
Building on a Caribbean-leading GDP growth of 33 per cent for 2023, the mighty adventurers will again travel on a path where only eagles dare, to conquer the possible mission of attaining a blooming and booming economy with a projected 34 per cent GDP growth for 2024.
The mammoth $1.146 trillion-dollar budget, which is almost twice the size of last year’s budget, will be financed without Government levying any new taxes. Instead, Guyanese will see a reduction in taxes and VAT, while there will be increases in allowances, grants, payments and services.
Not dissuaded by arrogance and heckling, the Honorable Dr. Ashni Singh was coerced by taunting intruders trying to taint his image and presentation to mesmerize his attackers and loft them out of the arena, which is not conducive for immature politicians. Perhaps such expected incidents would only galvanize a much-prepared Cabinet Minister to unshackle their armoured prowess as they look forward to debating a poor, porous and panicking Opposition.
Already in a state of disarray, and working overnight to fabricate frivolous and vexatious arguments in order to counter the Government Ministers’ budgetary presentations, the weakened and wobbling Opposition members will find it impossible to shade their bitter resentment of the PPP/C’s well-deserved pride in concluding their election manifesto on a winning note.
Not characterized by deceit, the household name for the PNC, the PPP/C Government’s programmes have unveiled their careful planning to incorporate all the necessary increases for social benefits which would improve the lifestyle of Guyanese.
Putting more money in the hands of the Guyanese people would increase their spending power and uplift their standard of living. Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher whose advice is still influential and greatly discussed, remarked, “The right of nature is the liberty each man hath to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life.”
The Government will not fall prey to the PNC’s million-dollar oil cash transfer. Like Dr. Tara Singh said, “You have to work for it.”
Guyana is a proud nation of hard-working people, who maintain their dignity from earning and living by working honestly and earnestly. They will always maintain their self-respect and avoid the pitfalls of depending on handouts, as clamoured for by some who want to eat, drink, and be merry today, and not cater for the morning after challenges.
The astute PPP/C Government has embraced dynamic economic strategies in the budget to finance the application of addressing specific and holistic issues and problems which will translate into the following outcomes: higher levels of education; greater employment opportunities; more social programmes to enhance challenging needs; strengthening of the defence of the country; providing greater protection and security for the people; improving the lifestyle with advanced technological and medical facilities; expanding on infrastructure, building more houses and supplying water; sustaining a growing culture of young people in sports; improving the hinterland lifestyle; taking care of pensioners and seniors; fertilizing the seeds of agricultural growth, and a host of associated services which would boost economic and social development.
Since coming into office, the PPP/C Government has dominated the scene, and managed to eradicate the unheralded blemishes created by the former dictatorial and devious administration which had tarnished the reputation of Guyanese and plunged the nation into economic bankruptcy in 2020. From 2015 to 2020, the polluted PNC managed to eradicate all the gains accumulated by the PPP/C Party from 1992 to 2015. The PPP/C Government has quickly moved the country from a traditional economy to launch the nation on a solid platform, which is engineered to take off into maturity as one of the richest nations per capita. This is evidenced from successful and successive economic, political, and social performances for the past three years, led by a determined and influential leader, President Dr. Irfaan Alli, and backed by a hardworking Prime Minister Mark Phillips, an ever-watchful Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo; and, of course, studious and eagerly engaging Cabinet Ministers and their loyal assistants.
A budget which is seasoned with the ingredients to promote political stability; reform the distribution of equitable resources; account for public borrowing and spending; promote education; empower women and protect children; and build on healthy foreign relations and good governance will definitely remove any hindrances to economic growth, fight corruption, and avoid trade deficits and the Dutch Disease.
The PPP/C Government do plan their work, and work their plan. They are not like the PNC: illusionists trapped in a wonderland of dreams. In the ‘Lessons of Experience’ expounding on Development Planning, Sir Arthur Lewis asserted that, “we are all planners now.” Guyanese can once more indulge in long-term planning for a peaceful, progressive and prosperous life in Guyana under the management of a meticulous PPP/C Government. Let the debate game begin!
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall
