IN 1992 the Cheddi Jagan-led Cabinet hit the ground running. The absolute devastation countrywide in every sector in the socio-economic and infrastructural landscape that had impoverished and demoralised Guyanese countrywide needed life-saving injections – literally and figuratively — of revitalising resources. A near-miracle eventuated, and in pre-election 2015, when economies were in depression worldwide, Guyana was rising like a phoenix from the ashes the PPP/C Government had inherited. From a ranking on global graphs as the poorest country in the world when the PPP/C demitted Government, subsequent to questionable elections in 2015, the country had attained the status of a middle-income country. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines described Guyana as “The only shining star of the Caribbean.”

However, subsequent to elections of 2015, this ‘star’ inexorably began to dim – barely flickering — until another PPP/C Government curved its protective hands around it and began a runaway restoration process, immediately upon regaining administrative office on August 2, 2020.
One would have thought that the miraculous transformation of a once-again bankrupted, devastated Guyana could not have been repeated, but the Irfaan Ali-led administration has once more created a seemingly magical developmental paradigm driven by brilliantly conceived and implemented initiatives that are not only reconfiguring the socio-economic dynamics to project Guyana into orbit once more; but the Government’s poverty-alleviation initiatives are bolstering hopes for a ‘good life’ of Guyanese across every divide in the nation.

A Navendra Seoraj article, published in the September 8, 2020 edition of the Guyana Chronicle, headlined “20B in pockets of Guyanese,” informed readers of the many poverty-alleviation strategies programmed by government for implementation in the national budget.

After re-prioritising and re-programming fiscal measures, the new People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has managed to add $20 billion in relief to the “pockets” of Guyanese, even as it battles with the deadly COVID-10 pandemic.

As a result of a rapid assessment of Guyana’s socio-economic dynamics, immediate poverty-reduction programmes were prioritised and implementation, simultaneous with wealth-creation/job-creation strategies being formulated, with stakeholders’ inputs.

The President at a press conference outlined poverty-reduction measures including, but not limited to: a) a reversal of VAT on electricity and water; b) removal of VAT and duties on machinery and equipment; c) granting tax concessions on All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs); d) removing the requirement to register and “take out” road licences for mining equipment, and will remove the requirement for miners to have police clearances to transport fuel in their own vehicles: e) reversal of “land lease fees”; e) removal of VAT on fertilisers, agro-chemicals and pesticides for the entire agriculture sector; f) revert the poultry industry to zero-rated VAT status; g) offering special incentives, inclusive of land, for planting of corn and soya bean to satisfy the local and regional feedmill demands; h) granting concessions on investment in agro-processing facilities, cold storage and packaging; i) reversal of increased charges for drainage and irrigation in agricultural areas; j) construction of farm-to-market roads, to allow for improved access and the opening of new lands for production; k) $5 billion for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); l) reversal of VAT on all exports; m) removal of VAT on hinterland travel; n) promoting development and returning jobs lost, through the reintroduction of the Community Support Officers (CSOs). Some $800 million has been set aside for the Amerindian Development Fund; o) providing 25,000 solar units to hinterland communities, also setting aside $1.5B for hinterland, urban and rural roads; p) working to acquire a new ferry for the North West. The ferry will provide cold storage to farmers; q) removal of VAT on medical supplies, building materials and cellphones; r) introduction of a $15,000 cash grant for schoolchildren, doubling the $2,000 uniform voucher; s) pensioners will be receiving $25,000 as old age pension and will access free water; t) Every household will also benefit from a direct cash transfer of $25,000 COVID-19 relief: u) The Joint Services will also receive a two-week, tax-free bonus and $150 million has been set aside for frontline workers; v) $200 million to expand Guyana Learning Channel; w) health sector revamp.

Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo posited: “Apart from these immediate measures, in an emergency budget produced in a very short period, are the most significant measures — and the largest number of measures in any budget I have ever seen…even for budgets that have duration for the entire fiscal period.”

Putting the 100 days achievement into perspective at a press conference last Friday, Dr. Jagdeo elucidated on the significant factor that, while people put emphasis on 100 days in office, in effect it was not 100 days but approximately 40 days. He explained that upon assumption of office the government found itself in an unusual situation where there was no approved budget for the year; with tonnes of expenditure; in excess of $200 billion in liabilities and spending that needed to be cleared with no money to run government because there was no approved budget. The government passed the budget, but the Appropriation Bill was only approved on 30th September, which effectively gave the administration a fully functioning government only for the month of October and a few days in November. Prior to that, they had no power to spend, so the programmes that had already been devised could not have been implemented because of lack of funding.