THE 2015 National Budget was approved at 03:16hrs yesterday. On August 10, Finance Minister Winston Jordan presented a budget for $221B, the first for the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government.
Yesterday morning, the Finance Minister moved Appropriation Bill 2015 to the tune of $181.7 billion reflecting an amendment to what was presented in the budget. Both sides of the House had agreed to the amendment so that the budget would conform to Constitutional amendments that allow for the financial independence of constitutional bodies and agencies, such as the Rights Commission and Service Commissions.
Ministers of Government faced three gruelling days of questions, with each of those days extending into the wee hours of the morning on the following day.
Presented under the theme, ‘A Fresh Approach to the Good Life in a Green Economy,’ Budget 2015 sets the platform for the Government’s vision of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana in the year 2020. It provides measures to ease the financial burden on citizens, while improving their living conditions.
Some of these measures are:
* An increase of the minimum wage from $39,540 to $50,000.
* All public servants above the minimum wage will receive a 5% increase plus $5000

* A 54% increase in the hourly rate paid to schools’ Sweeper/Cleaners.
* Old Age Pension increased from $13,125 to $17,000
* A 10% increase in Public Assistance from $5900 to $6500
* An increase in the uniform allowance voucher from $1,500 to $2,000. Also, persons receiving payment for sewing uniforms in remote hinterland locations will receive a 25 % increase on the amount, from $800 to $1,000.
* Eligible members of the Joint Services would be exempted from paying excise tax on motor vehicles.
* Toshaos in approved Amerindian communities would be exempted from paying excise tax on All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)
* Eligible small and medium-scale gold miners would be exempted from paying customs duties on fuel, matting, ATVs, jack-hammer drills, flex hoses, expanding metals, pumps, pump housing, impellers, shafts and engines.
* Workers will no longer have to pay Income Tax on their NIS contributions.
* The following items will not attract VAT: Yogurt, cereals, fresh carrots, Milo and Ovaltine, Nestum, mustard and mayonnaise, locally-produced fruit juice, locally-made chowmein, vinegar, locally-made uncooked pasta, ketchup, chicken sausages in packets, locally-produced Chinese sauce, baking powder, liquid detergent, household cleaning agents, rolls of paper towels, and computer printers for non-commercial use.
* The subvention to the Critchlow Labour College was reinstated.
* Exemption from customs duties for the following: fishing boats, spare parts, equipment for fishing boats and equipment and supplies for use in the processing plant-for use in the Fish/Seafood and the Aquaculture Industry.
* The Berbice Bridge Toll reduced from $2200 to $1900 for mini- buses and cars and a 10% reduction for all other categories of vehicles.
* Shrimp to be made eligible for the export allowance granted to non-traditional exports.
* $1.9 billion for housing development
* $2.9 billion to improve water delivery countrywide.
* $33.8 billion for education.
* $23 billion to pay rice farmers.
* $21 billion to strengthen and improve national security.
* $1.6 billion to upgrade Sherriff Street/ Mandela Avenue in the city.
* $1.2 billion to complete the East Bank Demerara Highway.
* $300 million for Georgetown restoration.
* $544 million to upgrade community roads and bridges countrywide.
* $133 million to upgrade the Maternity Unit of the Georgetown Hospital and add 50 more beds.
* A $115 million allocation for the Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) initiative that would aim at stimulating community growth opportunities at the grassroots level.
* A $155 million allocation for the Linden Enterprise Network to re-energise business activity in Linden and its environs.
* $1.4 Billion to strengthen sea defences
* $1.2 billion to upgrade farm-to-market roads as Laluni, Parika, Onverwagt, Ruby
* $5.7 billion to rehabilitate and extend drainage and irrigation infrastructure countrywide.
* $544 million to upgrade community roads and bridges countrywide.
The reading of Appropriation Bill 2015, Bill  No 7 of 2015, was read for a third time, as presented by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, and successfully passed by the National Assembly.
Successfully moving a Motion to adjourn the National Assembly to August 28 was Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, following the House’s acceptance of the National Budget 2015.
The completion of the Budget means that the nation can now move forward, according to Prime Minister Nagamootoo. He said that whilst most of the moneys allocated encompassed a significant portion of what has already been spent for this year, government has still managed to implement many of the measures promised during the pre-elections campaign.
Said he: “Look at how happy the pensioners are! Many of them never expected to get $17,000 dollars! Even the school cleaners are happy now; and they thought that no one remembered them, and they protested for years for better pay!”
The Prime Minister, who is also leader of Government Business in the National Assembly, indicated his desire to work together with the political Opposition to move Guyana and its people forward. And this is despite their differences. “I would like to have a conversation… in fact, a series of conversations with Jagdeo to examine the various ways in which all of us, together, can come up with ideas on how to take this country forward, so that we all can have a good life,” the Prime Minister said. (GINA)