–Budget 2025 to further enhance lives of all citizens, transform Guyana, Dr. Singh says

IN a detailed and reflective interview, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, underscored the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) unwavering commitment to addressing the needs of Guyanese citizens.
Speaking ahead of the presentation of Budget 2025, which is scheduled for presentation today, Dr. Singh elaborated on the PPP/C’s efforts at all times to guarantee people-centred governance, economic growth, and social equality.
Dr. Singh began by highlighting the party’s foundational philosophy of inclusive development, noting: “Budgets presented by successive PPP governments, post-1992 to 2015, and then from 2020, onwards, have all been budgets that have addressed, in a direct and frontal way, the needs of the people—addressing their concerns, delivering services to them, and improving those services; creating opportunities for people and enhancing those opportunities; laying the foundation for a more resilient and prosperous country; and generally doing so within a framework that has not been punitive to the Guyanese people,” the Finance Minister said.

In contrast, he noted that budgets presented by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) prior to 1992 and those of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) were marked by punitive measures, including the introduction of new taxes, which instilled fear among citizens.

“During that period, people would await budget day with great fear, not knowing which new punitive measure would be introduced or which benefit would be taken away. Throughout that time, budgets were anticipated with great fear. We recall a number of budgets where the PNC either introduced new taxes, implemented new measures, or cut expenditure. During that period, commonly used words included terms like “devaluation” [of the currency] or “retrenchment”,” Dr. Singh said.
He stated that from 2015 to 2020, citizens, including young people, had another chance to witness the PNCR [in the form of the APNU+AFC] in more recent times, during which they implemented numerous punitive measures.

“APNU brought budgets year after year that imposed hardships on the Guyanese people and introduced punitive measures. We saw the imposition of over 200 taxes. We saw the removal of the cash grant [for schoolchildren]. We saw the taking away of the bonus for members of the Disciplined Services. We saw the slashing of the mortgage interest relief ceiling by half—just to give a few examples,” Dr. Singh reminded.
Since being elected to office in 2020, the PPP/C, Dr. Singh emphasised, has prioritised policies that cater to the needs of the people, whether it is healthcare, education, or infrastructure.

ABILITY TO DELIVER
He further emphasised that the party’s record is evident in its ability to deliver on promises.
He said: “We reversed the punitive measures. We returned the benefits to the Guyanese people, and we have been increasing them progressively over the years. Every budget that has been presented by the PPP has served the people, and Budget 2025 is going to be no different in this regard. [Budget 2025] will continue the track record of previous PPP budgets.”

One of the hallmarks of the PPP’s governance, according to Dr. Singh, is its ability to diversify Guyana’s economy.
“We have to be attentive to issues of resilience. For you to have a resilient economy, you have to have a diversified economy. And for you to have a diversified economy, you have to ensure that you are competitiveness across all sectors. That’s why we are investing in the gas-to-energy project, as it will reduce the cost of electricity, making manufacturing and other enterprises more viable and competitive,” the minister said.

He criticised the APNU+AFC for prioritising increases in the recurrent budget while suppressing the capital budget.
Upon returning to government, he noted, the PPP/C promptly boosted capital investments to drive development.

“For us in the government, we recognise the importance of not only consuming for today but also investing in the things that matter and will generate growth in the future. These include public infrastructure, social infrastructure, and investments in drainage and irrigation, which, in turn, catalyse internal activity—agriculture and food production. This generates income for food-producing communities and improves the well-being of our population,” Dr. Singh posited.
He continued: “For us, as a government, we consider investment in the public capital stock as paramount because those are the things that matter for the long-term well-being of the country. If you don’t invest in roads, hospitals, and schools, there will come a time when your productive activity will grind

to a halt. Then, your ability to be productive and competitive in the global economy will dissipate and disappear.”
Dr Singh emphasised that the PPP/C’s vision for Guyana’s, stating: “Budget 2025 will ensure that we deliver our commitments that we incorporated into our 2020 manifesto. That is our foremost objective. In most cases, we have already delivered on the commitments in the manifesto. You’ll see many cases where we’ve exceeded those commitments.”

He highlighted that the government has exceeded its targets for online scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) and the distribution of house lots. Dr. Singh further emphasised that a defining feature of the PPP/C’s governance is its strong connection to the grassroots, maintained through active community engagement.

LISTENING TO PEOPLE
“As a government, we have always emphasised how deeply and profoundly we appreciate listening to people and incorporating what we hear from the people into the policy decision that we make,” Dr. Singh said.
The senior minister assured citizens that Budget 2025 will create opportunities for all Guyanese, noting: “Our overriding concern is to meet the needs of the people of Guyana. Budget 2025 will continue the effort to ensure that every Guyanese family and every single Guyanese individual is able to realise their potential, get a good quality education, get a good job, earn a good income, and be able to live comfortably and take care of their families.”
Further, he stressed that the budget will lay the foundation for a modern and prosperous Guyana.

Guyana’s 2024 budget, the largest in the country’s history, reflects the government’s commitment to sustainable growth and development.
Valued at $1.146 trillion, the budget emphasised infrastructure, health, education, and security, aiming to enhance the quality of life for citizens.