— Ministers Persaud, McCoy inform House

By Rabindra Rooplall

BUDGET 2020 has provisioned a total of $53.25 Billion for the Local Government Sector, and this is indicative of the government’s commitment to job creation, poverty reduction, and economic development when projects are implemented.
This is according to Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud in his maiden speech during the budget debates on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
Persaud said the Budget is being presented after a fallout from the 2020 elections, and at a time when the economy is under tremendous stress and shock, which must be addressed fervently to bring relief to all Guyanese.
“The Budget contains plans and projects which cater to everyone: The ordinary man, the farmer, the law enforcement officer, the public servant and, most importantly, our medical professionals,” Persaud said.

He explained that provision will be made for infrastructural developments, such as the expansion of community markets and community centres to benefit citizens. Sanitary landfill sites will also be upgraded to facilitate proper solid waste management.
The ministry, he said, will update the inventory of solid waste disposal sites in each of the 10 administrative regions, to determine, based on appropriate location criteria and the open disposal sites, which are to be closed and those to be upgraded to a controlled safe landfill.

Further, Minister Persaud said it is envisaged that the implementation of the 2020 Budget will set a foundation for renewed hope

and confidence for all Guyanese to promote investment, job opportunities, village economies, and enhanced community involvement as part of the support initiatives.

Notwithstanding the destruction of the economy, as well as the rise in poverty and hopelessness, Minister Persaud said the PPP/C, in its first budget, mere weeks after taking office, has provided a suite of measures targeting all Guyanese, from the coast to the hinterland, schoolchildren to the elderly, public servants and the private sector.

GOVERNMENT FOR ALL

Meanwhile, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy also voiced similar sentiments as Minister Persaud, in that he reaffirmed that the benefits provided by government will go to all Guyanese, whether they support the PPP/C government or not.

“It goes to every single Guyanese; and that is how we govern. We govern in a transparent and an accountable manner,” Minister McCoy said, noting that this was absent during the APNU+AFC tenure in office.
He explained that government has exceptional policies and initiatives, which will also develop the State media and all government communications agencies.

Minister McCoy said all human resources must be developed by implementing training programmes to keep persons upgraded so that they could meaningfully contribute to national development.

He said all aspects of media development will occur under his tenure, along with the upgrading of the broadcast sector.
“We are here to seriously develop this country, and to be able to make the difference the APNU+AFC couldn’t make. To make the difference in the lives of every single Guyanese; not for one village and not the other,” Minister McCoy said.
He called on the Opposition to be a party that works in the interest of all Guyanese on a daily basis, because the government will implement programmes and policies that will develop the lives of all citizens.

However, in her maiden speech, Opposition APNU+AFC Member of Parliament (MP), Maureen Philadelphia claimed that the

Budget is one for the private sector and not for the people, but failed to substantiate those claims.
Instead, she opted to speak about the management of the oil-and-gas sector, with the aim of focusing on transformational opportunities.

“It is imperative that the revenue derived from this sector be maximised and used to transform Guyana’s economy to one which is internationally diversified,” she said, adding: we need to take full advantage of the contributions of the oil sector to ensure our future generations are prepared to function in a petroleum state,” Philadelphia said.
She said human capacity is needed in Guyana to handle the transformation that will eventually come.