The voices of the critics, inclusive of the Opposition, have labelled the recently read 2011 budget, an election budget. This term of description as applied is about a financial package that contains dollar and other incentives, specifically tailored for vote catching.
This accusation, commenced soon after the date for the budget presentation had been announced. But firstly, a view on budgets is useful. Budgets are outlays and in themselves do not decide elections; instead it is the capacity to deliver on what they promise that determines their success, and in turn influence such constitutional outcomes.

It is the end product of a budget – what it will eventually deliver, that is the test. In this milieu, the essential of governance is central to eventual outcome and delivery. How does this opinion relate to Guyana?

The nation’s budgetary allocations for the preceding four years have seen  well-planned, national, social development programmes being delivered by adequate funding that have been available, thanks to the prudent management of the nation’s fiscal affairs, and regulatory and institutional safeguards, that have protected the nation’s financial system from the international economic storm. For example, the peach/net result of the local management process is that there have been no cuts in social development programmes due to finance cutbacks. It is such an economic management process and success that has ensured the yearly budget delivery on promises made to the Guyanese people.

Of course, the able minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, as expected, reported very favourably on a successful economic performance for 2010. The economy has been resilient. It has expanded in all its reported sectors. Not even sugar, because of its current challenges, has been a deterrent on economic growth, for the past year, which is projected at 4.6% for 2011.

The above result could have only come about, because the preceding years’ budgets have been achieving their outcomes.

One would have noted the menu of tax adjustments and increases in social assistance payments. Maybe, the critics will seize on these as vindication for their contention of “Election budget.” The truth is that the economy has robustly expanded enough to facilitate such relief measures. Certainly, these are expected in such circumstances, whether or not, elections are due.

This year’s budget is a manifest continuation of the transformation already underway, because of results-oriented budgetary outcomes over the preceding years. The PPP/C administration has every God-given reason to be proud of its achievements