– could result in a 35% increase if he gets his way
OPPOSITION Leader, Aubrey Norton, plans to axe the electricity subsidy, if he enters office, which is an initiative by the current government to ease the brunt effects of the global high cost of living.
Despite Norton accusing the government of dismissing the hardships of ordinary Guyanese, the Opposition Leader does not want all Guyanese to benefit from subsidies.
“What we will not allow is an abuse of it,” Norton told a news conference on Friday last.

According to Norton, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. should be economically viable and therefore, only vulnerable citizens would benefit from subsidies, if the opposition attains governance.
Guyana’s Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, had said that GPL will receive a US$66 -$70 million subsidy to cover fuel costs. He explained that if this is not done, GPL would have to increase electricity costs.
Norton said, “The objective will be to make them economically viable so they don’t become a burden on the nation’s resources.”

Norton’s plans could result in a 35 per cent increase in electricity if he gets his way.
Earlier last week, Dr Jagdeo pointed out that although Guyana is a much smaller country compared to the United States of America (USA), the PPP/C government has managed to keep inflation relatively stable with its prudent management.

Despite attempts by those with their agendas, Dr Jagdeo placed things into perspective and highlighted how the government, since assuming office in 2020, has not only made key cost-of-living interventions but has also made long-term investments which have improved the standard of living for all citizens.
It has become the habit of some detractors of development to place focus on the negatives and portray the image that the cost of living is not a global phenomenon.

With that said, Dr Jagdeo called attention to how the citizens of major economies are crying over rising costs in various areas such as housing, utility bills and gas for their vehicles.
With the USA being in election season, Dr Jagdeo said that, at the Republican Convention, the impacts of cost of living are a key focus area and the claim is being put forth by the speakers that the high costs are “devastating” large sections of the population.

Here in Guyana, the cost-of-living issue is constantly being ventilated in the public domain. The PPP General Secretary, on Thursday, used the USA experience to highlight how Guyana has been able to successfully implement policies that have improved the well-being of Guyanese.
He expressed hope that people will examine the differences between both countries and analyse the policy responses.

He pointed out that the government has kept the prices at the gas pumps “very stable,” whereas other countries, in this case, the USA, are seeing its citizens complaining about how the high cost of living has resulted in increased prices at the pumps.
He also noted that water rates have dropped by five per cent since the PPP/C government assumed office. While US citizens are complaining that homeownership has become a challenge, the PPP General Secretary said that in Guyana, mortgage rates have decreased.
“It’s more affordable to get a loan now and take out a mortgage for it [a house],” he stated.