THE opposition members of the National Assembly said that the budget did not address the high unemployment in the country. I do not know of any budget which addresses unemployment. Even under the previous administration, when unemployment was astronomically high. A budget simply laid out government expenditure and incomes and policies to be pursued in the fiscal year. It also reviews the country performances in the previous year and outlined capital expenditures for the year.
In a free economy like Guyana jobs creation is left to the private sector. The private sector invests in the economy, expands their businesses and … trade. These lead to job creation and more workers are needed to work.
What the government does is to facilitate investments.
The government develops industrial estates, give tax holidays to new industries, gives tax exemptions for industries to bring machinery and vehicles for business operations.
In the area of education the government ensures that there are adequate human resources both vocational and skilful ones. There are absorbed by the private sector to meet their needs.
What do the opposition parties want, the government to employ people. Government provides both education and other services in which it employs thousands of people. But there is a certain amount of people it can employ.
When the opposition PNC was in power what jobs did it create? The PNC set up National Service, which was funded by the government to deal with the large unemployment.
The opposition PNCR and other opposition parties should know that unemployment is solved according to the growth of the country; as the country’s economy continues to grow it will absorb the unemployed people. Budgets do not create employment.