More sparks flew on Tuesday in the National Assembly when Members of Parliament came armed with their facts to either support or oppose Budget 2020.
Leading the way in this regard during the morning session of the fifth sitting of the 12th Parliament were the women MPs in the house.
Sonia Parag
Public Service Minister Sonia Parag, in her presentation, revealed that the Public Service Ministry has a total allocation of $1.8 billion. Of this amount, slightly over $1 billion has been allocated just for training and scholarships. She also revealed that scholarship applications have increased exponentially since the PPP came to power.
“Now, if I am to compare 2019, there were just over 500 scholarship applications brought into the Ministry of Public Service. In just three weeks, we have been able to achieve over 700 applications from across the country. From Region Eight, the hinterland alone, we have 68 applications.”
Parag also revealed that from the total budget of $329 billion, money has been set aside for Guyanese students who are already on scholarship abroad.
“Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the budget also caters for aid to those who are on scholarship outside Guyana. And the Government of Guyana, in just about three weeks, will be sending aid to those students.”
Tabitha Sarabo-Halley
Settling on the year 2019, Minister Parag laid bare the facts as they relate to the former Government’s awarding of scholarships around the country. She reeled off figures for both local and overseas scholarships which she noted would show the lack of scholarships to the Indigenous communities.
“We have had one from Region One, five to Region Two, five to Region Three, 36 to Region Four, two to Region Five, 12 to Region Six, none to Regions Seven, Eight and Nine, five to Region 10,” Parag said of the foreign scholarships.
“Local scholarships for 2019, three to Region One, eight to Region Two, 25 to Region Three, 122 to Region Four, 11 to Region Five, 23 to Region Six, four to Region Seven, none to Region Eight, four to Region Nine and 28 to Region 10. The hinterland and Indigenous people they are fighting so much for over there have been left behind. They have been left behind for the last five years.”
Skewed scholarships
Her predecessor in office, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, meanwhile defended the charge that scholarships under her tenure were skewed. According to her, scholarships were awarded based on how the applications were submitted.
“Mr. Speaker, I must assure this honorable house that if the honourable Minister peruses the data, she would recognise that her statements are skewed, not the management and distribution of scholarships over the last five years. I request that it be placed on record that the scholarships awarded under the David Granger-led administration were consistent with the applications received. If persons of a particular ethnic group apply more than candidates from other groups, then one would expect the scholarships awarded to be consistent with this fact.”
Measures
Government Member of Parliament Dr Thandika Smith, herself a frontline worker, meanwhile lauded the budget for catering to their needs. Smith reminded that the former Government never implemented risk allowances for frontline workers.
“Imagine, our frontline workers were promised risk allowances and never received a cent from the previous administration. Today’s budget has set aside $150 million for our frontline workers battling the COVID pandemic.
“Not only our frontliners will benefit from this budget, but every household across Guyana will receive a $25,000 COVID relief cash grant. This is indeed clear evidence that our President has all Guyanese at heart and will continue to reach out in every area of our lives.”
