–Dr. Singh hammers opposition for failure to deliver on grandiose promises during its tenure in office
–says opportunities abound for all Guyanese under PPP/C administration

BUDGETS presented by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) from 2015 to 2020 serve as a paper trail of empty promises that were never delivered to the people of Guyana, Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said in his scorching conclusion to the 2024 national budget debate.

Responding directly to statements made by the opposition on Guyana’s first trillion-dollar budget, Dr. Singh said the claims lack merit and measures to support everyday Guyanese. He also pointed to the “disrepair” of the country under the opposition, and the plans they had proposed that were never fulfilled.

“Talk is Cheap… and we were regaled over the past five days with a lot of cheap talk coming from the APNU+AFC, who regaled us with all sorts of grandiose ideas and plans; all sorts of intentions, and all sorts of proposals. Had we not known, we might have been duped by these lavish promises,” he said.

Dr. Singh went on to say: “Every single sector of the economy was destroyed by the APNU+AFC in government, and they come here and try to rewrite history.”

The other side of the House sat almost mute, while Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton and several other members of parliament were absent for the majority of the Finance Minister’s presentation.

The Opposition Leader had made his presentation just before Dr. Singh, and spoke at length about his party’s plans, should it assume the governing role.

Norton touted “a people-centred strategy for development,” which includes a significant reduction in taxes, and the alleviation of the high cost of living.

Dr. Singh, however, said that with the opposition’s track record, it is highly unlikely that it will ever return to the governing office.

The Finance Minister reminded the National Assembly of the former APNU+AFC administration’s introduction of new taxes, and the implementation of policies which saw the removal of disposable income from the citizens’ pockets.

Providing a realist example of what obtained, Dr. Singh noted that the previous government took away an estimated $9 million from households during its five years in office.

In another example, he said a family comprising three school-aged children lost about $150,000 when the opposition discontinued the distribution of the $10,000 cash grant that was being offered to citizens during the PPP/C’s governance.

Similarly, Dr. Singh noted that many public servants, such as members of the Joint Services, lost millions.

Unlike the APNU+AFC, the Finance Minister said: “We will deliver the things we promised, and we will continue to work through Budget 2024, 25, 26 and beyond … We will craft the budget in a particular frame where no other time in our country’s history entrepreneurial opportunities so abound.”

He added: “For years, even perhaps decades, we in this country have been engaging in successive processes to prepare plans and identify priorities.”