By Svetlana Marshall

TODAY, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government will present its second budget amidst major expectations among Guyanese.

In August 2015, it had presented a $221B budget under the theme: “A Fresh Approach to the Good Life in a Green Economy.”

In that budget, the minimum wage went from $39,540 to $50,000, old age pensions were increased from $13,125 to $17,000 and all public servants above the minimum wage received a 5% increase. Those were just three of the many measures that positively impacted the man in the street.

Young entrepreneurs
In this year’s budget, the chances of a better life for all Guyanese are expected to go up with major attention to be placed on job-creation through micro-financing and the support of micro-industries to ramp up economic growth.

President David Granger had asserted that the budget would give entrepreneurs, particularly young entrepreneurs, an opportunity to participate in the economy. “Until and unless we get more young people into the economy, we won’t be able to see the type of growth [the country needs],” President Granger had said.

Reducing tax evasion
It was also explained that strong emphasis will be placed on stimulating the growth of the economy through increased revenue collection and the reduction of leakages through tax evasion.

Mega projects
Today, the Government is also expected to announce major plans for the infrastructural development of the country. In acknowledging the importance of infrastructural development, the President had disclosed that a number of mega projects will be executed this year, laying the developmental foundation before superstructures are built.

“This country cannot be developed without proper infrastructure; without proper highways and bridges, ferry stellings, aerodromes,and Harbour Bridges. If we are to develop this country, we have to have a solid infrastructural base before we can build superstructures. These will be addressed in the budget of the financial year 2016,” President Granger had said.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who during his tenure as president never opted to raise public servants’ salaries by more than 5%, now wants to see a substantial increase in salaries for public sector employees reflected in the budget.
He is also calling for increased subventions for pensioners, a reduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT) – which he had introduced – from 16 per cent to 10 per cent, the reinstatement of the “Because we care” programme, reduced electricity rates and a reduction in vehicle taxes.

Unprecedented demands

Under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, both Jagdeo and his successor Donald Ramotar, had resisted lowering VAT; did not substantially increase public servants’ pay, and did not reduce electricity tariffs among the other demands being made now.

Embattled President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), Carville Duncan, on the other hand said that he would like the minimum wage to be increased from $50,000 to $70,000. Additionally, he said the income tax threshold should be raised.