DEFENDING the 2026 national budget as a “second wave of development” for Guyana, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, said the government’s spending plan is designed to tackle long‑standing structural constraints and support rapid economic growth.

Minister Indar during his contribution to this year’s Budget Debate said on Thursday that claims the budget “has nothing for people” are misleading.

He reminded the House of the government’s plans to provide cheaper electricity and enhance the power grid.

A central plank of the government’s investments is the energy programme, anchored by the gas‑to‑energy project at Wales.

According to the MP, the project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026 and is expected to deliver over 200 megawatts of power into the national grid.

He said this additional capacity, combined with investments to strengthen the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) backbone, will significantly reduce blackouts and cut electricity costs by up to half for households and businesses.

“The PPP/C manifesto came from the ground. We went on the ground. People are asked to tell us what they want and want and want to tell us what they want. Here’s where we put in the budget,” the minister said.

Further supporting the energy agenda, the House was told that Guyana has gone out to tender for several natural gas–linked industrial projects, including a gas bottling and logistics facility to use locally produced gas; and fertiliser plant with a proposed capacity of 300,000 tonnes per year, aimed at lowering costs for farmers and ultimately reducing food prices.

He also highlighted the government’s plans to roll out surface water treatment plants so as to rely less heavily on groundwater, which will support more sustainability.

These investments, he said, will directly benefit lower‑income households and residents, contradicting the opposition’s narrative that the budget neglects the poor.