THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) does not regard education as a privilege but as a right.   And this was emphasized by PPP/C Member of Parliament, Neil Kumar during last Friday’s session of budget debates in the National Assembly.
Kumar noted that Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh had presented a budget with its biggest allocation towards education. “This is a budget that is offering substantial opportunities and benefits to our adolescents, the very young, and our youths during their school life,” he remarked.

He stated that young people are even afforded the opportunity to build their homes at an early age. “This PPP/C believes in the role of the family. By making sure that the young family has a home, water, electricity and the other basic necessities, our people’s family life will be strengthened, and we will have less single parents,” he posited.

Kumar noted that Guyanese are this year observing the 40th Anniversary of the 1973 Corentyne Ballot Box Martyrs, which saw two persons being “slaughtered by the PNC hit squad.”
He pointed out that eyewitnesses to that horrific event are still alive, and stressed that the government should return to the polls and bring an end to the one-seat majority.

Meanwhile, Kumar told Opposition members that the members on the government side are reasonable, and are prepared at any time for any meaningful engagement and consultation. “I call on you to lobby support for your needs and wants, and I am sure that, with trust and compromise, we will all be able to work together,” he assured.

Alluding to the theme of the 2013 budget, ‘Overcoming Challenges Together, Accelerating Gains for Guyana’, Kumar said it is indeed appropriate, and that the record $208.8 billion budget is a manifestation of the results of seven consecutive years of growth in Guyana’s economy.  

While he noted that the budget is heavily biased in favour of young people, the PPP/C Member highlighted the fact that the older generation will also benefit from a 25 percent increase in their old age pension, and from further help with their water and electricity bills.

Kumar, who is also the Director of Sports at the National Sports Commission, recalled during his presentation that the former People’s National Congress (PNC) government did not provide any proper international sports facilities for the country.
This is in stark contrast to what the PPP/C Government has achieved in this area, since it assumed office in 1992, including boasting of building a state-of-the-art National Stadium at Providence, and an Olympic size swimming pool.

He also took the opportunity to thank the government for making a generous allocation to the further development of Sport, noting that $560 million has been budgeted for advancing work on the construction of a state-of-the-art synthetic athletic track, and $52 million has been allocated to build a warm-up pool at the National Aquatic Centre.

Additionally, a further $300 million was allocated for the development and upgrading of sporting facilities and infrastructure countrywide.