IN the first half of 2020, Guyana’s real economy is estimated to have grown by 45.6 per cent, driven by the petroleum sector. However, the non-oil economy contracted by 4.9 per cent, with significant declines recorded across many major industries. This was, in part, due to the protracted general and regional elections, but also a result of the significant reduction in economic activity after the introduction of several emergency measures in the second quarter to curb the spread of COVID-19. These measures saw restrictions being imposed on the movement of persons and operation of non-essential businesses, which, in turn, led to a reduction in household income.

While there was a phased relaxation of measures in the third quarter, a surge in COVID-19 cases in August has necessitated the reintroduction of more stringent measures. The need to constantly monitor and readjust emergency measures in response to the spread of COVID-19 amplifies uncertainty surrounding the economic performance of various industries for the remainder of this year. As such, a few different scenarios are considered in forecasting growth and other macroeconomic indicators for 2020. Real GDP is expected to grow by between 48.4 per cent and 51.2 per cent, while the non-oil economy is expected to contract by between 1.4 per cent and 4.3 per cent

SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT
* $100 million for the Small Business Development Fund to provide loans and grants to prospective small business owners.
* $212.1 million has been allocated to the Small Business Bureau, which includes provision to equip and operationalise the business incubators at Lethem and Belvedere.
* $105 million to the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development programme, which is being redesigned to ensure that the intended outcomes of small and micro business development and livelihood improvements are being demonstrably achieved.

ENERGY EXPANSION AND DIVERSIFICATION
* Gov’t pursuing a path that will allow for the completion of the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.
* Will pursue mini-hydro grid-tied systems in Bartica and Lethem as part of energy diversification initiatives. Additionally, solar and wind systems for off-grid areas are being addressed.
* 25,000 Amerindian Household to benefit from Hinterland Electrification Programme.
* $400.6 million has been allocated for expanded electrification of our Amerindian and hinterland communities.
Photo saved as Amaila

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
* $5.2 billion for ICT development.
* Government will liberalise the telecommunications sector and increase access to cheap data and bandwidth.
* National Data Management Authority will receive an increased subvention of $2 billion.
* An additional $200 million will be invested to expand the Learning Channel.
* $65.6 million for the completion of a call centre in Linden; 200 jobs for our people.

HEALTH
* $14.3 billion has been budgeted for the procurement of drugs and medical supplies.
* Corrective action to facilitate the procurement of emergency supplies of drugs and medical supplies, to the tune of $3.2 billion will be undertaken.
* Completion of the SMART Hospital initiatives at Diamond, Paramakatoi, Mabaruma, Leonora and Lethem.
* Redevelopment of the West Demerara, Suddie and Bartica Hospitals.
* Operationalisation of a national electronic patient information system.
* $143.3 million is budgeted for the purchase of HIV-related drugs and medical supplies.
* Government will invest $17 million in the construction of a cold storage bond in Region Six to ensure the maintenance of a sufficient supply of vaccines in-country.
* $15 million is budgeted for the continued extension of the accident and emergency and medical outpatient departments of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
* $20 million is budgeted for the commencement of the design of a four-storey building to relocate the pharmacy and medical records services, and to create on-call accommodation for our hard-working medical personnel.
* A further $2.5 billion is budgeted for drugs and medical supplies for the hospital.
* Government will budget an additional $790 million towards the operationalisation of the infectious disease hospital.

EDUCATION
* $1.7 billion has been allocated for the construction and rehabilitation of schools across the country.
* In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, nursery students will be given individual home-based packages containing print material, manipulatives and other appropriate resources. The primary and secondary students will each receive work books and the core text books in Math, English, Social Studies and Science.
* Additionally, the timetabled structured format on the Learning Channel that caters for each grade from Nursery to Grade Nine will be expanded and upgraded so that six channels can run concurrently. This upgrade will also permit for hinterland communities that are currently unserved to be catered for.
* A portion of the $300 million allocated to blended learning options is budgeted for the establishment of a radio station which will be dedicated to delivering education.
* Provisions have been made for schools to be retrofitted with the necessary infrastructure to exist in a COVID-19 world. These include sinks with running water, proper ventilation, working toilets, the delivery of masks to teachers, students and ancillary staff and adequate signage to promote safe behaviour in all learning institutions and schools.
* The Cyril Potter College of Education will receive funding to facilitate learning continuity in hinterland centres of teacher education and to facilitate the virtual teacher education programme.
* $221.3 million is allocated to complete and advance several roll-over projects across the University of Guyana campuses including the new sewer system, the human resources and bursary building, the pump house, teaching learning centre and electrical upgrade projects.

HOUSING
* $3 billion has been budgeted for the implementation of government’s housing development vision, including infrastructural development in existing housing schemes, land preparation for new housing schemes and land acquisition.

WATER AND SANITATION
* A portion of the overall sum of $644.2 million allocated for sanitation interventions in 2020 government is budgeted for a number of water supply improvement projects in coastland and hinterland areas including Mabaruma, Barbina, Wainina, Shulinab, Shea, Cheong Mouth and Bartica.
* A study will commence for the provision of potable water from the Hope Canal, and the design of water treatment systems for the hinterland towns of Mabaruma and Mahdia, the islands of Leguan and Wakenaam and coastal areas of Walton Hall to Charity – Region Two, Bush lot – Region Five and Tain to No. 50 Village – Region Six.

AMERINDIAN AND HINTERLAND DEVELOPMENT
* Money has been allocated to facilitate support for the Indigenous People in the areas of food security, youth development, student welfare, women initiatives, agriculture, eco-tourism and grant to fund social and productive micro projects.
* $800 million is allocated to the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF), out of which $300 million will be used for the purchase of tractors and accessories to incentivise agricultural economic activity within indigenous communities.
* An initial sum of $10M was budgeted for the design of a new head office for the National Toshao’s Council.
* The ICT hub programme will also be re-introduced to 26 Amerindian communities and 25,000 households solar photovoltaic units will be provided.
* $800 million has been budgeted for the Hinterland Roads Programme to address construction and rehabilitation of roads across Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and 10.
* Amerindian communities will also be benefitting from the COVID-19 cash assistance announced by this government – about 19,000 Amerindian households are expected to benefit from the $25,000 cash transfer, with an allocation of about $475 million.

SENIOR CITIZENS
* In addition to strengthening the medical capacities at the Palms Geriatric Home, government will be reinstating the water subsidy for pensioners from October 1, and, from January 1, 2021, an increase in the Old Age Pension to $25,000.

YOUTH AND CHILDREN
* $25 million has been allocated to support the effective functioning of the Youth Advisory Council.

PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY
* $38.9 billion is budgeted for the deployment of resources to improve investigative and forensic capabilities and provide equipment, facilities and training for our law enforcement officers; for expanding the use of ICT in the fight against crime, providing better remuneration and conditions for the officers in our security forces and ensuring greater accountability by the Police Force for solving crime and to reform the prison system, to improve conditions and ensure compulsory training and educational opportunities for prisoners, security and safety prison officers.

* Government has budgeted $1 billion for ongoing works on police stations including Anna Regina, Fort Wellington, Mabaruma, Golden Grove and Mahdia and divisional headquarters to align the police’s boundaries with Guyana’s administrative regional boundaries.
* Additionally, police stations will be constructed at Cove and John, Brickdam, Matthew’s Ridge, Leonora, Lethem, Whim, Albion, Parika, Wismar and Mahdia.
* Further, government has set aside $428.1 million for the procurement of 50 vehicles to aid in the crime fight.
* Approximately $63 million has been allocated to the procurement of two water tenders for Linden and Bartica, as well as to upgrade the facilities at Mahdia. Additional vehicles, tools and equipment will also be procured to aid in firefighting.

PETROLEUM
* Government will immediately engage the oil and gas companies in better contract administration/renegotiation.
* An arm’s length SWF insulated from political interference will be established.
* Legislation will guide how funds will flow from the SWF into the budget, and the purpose for which they will be used.
* It will be endured that expenditures are transparently determined and go through the parliamentary process.
* There will be the establishment of a model PSA based on industrywide standards and best practices. The purpose of this is to ensure that Guyanese receive maximum benefit from these contracts without disincentivising foreign investors in the sector.
* Thousands of Guyanese will be trained at every level to create national core of managers and workforce to chart the future direction and effectively manage the sector.
* It will be ensure that annual reports from the government are laid in the National Assembly detailing oil revenues and expenditures.
* There will be regular audits.
* Civil society will be involved in a central role to monitor compliance and accountability.
* $586.5 million is allocated to the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, which has responsibility for metrology on the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO).

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY
* Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates will be opened in a phased approach.
* A capital injection of $112.9 million is allocated to the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary-Agricultural Development Authority to undertake critical drainage and irrigation works which will see improvements for farmers, and will also bring additional lands to a usable state.
* Over 1,200 acres of farmland in West Watooka, Linden will benefit from D&I works in 2020. Additionally, plans for the design of pump stations at Cottage, Adventure, and Andrew, as well as the design of farm-to-market roads at Villages 52-58, Region Six, Right Bank Mahaicony, Left Bank Mahaica, and Salem, Region Three, will commence.