-spotlights direct interventions, structural realignment for poverty, cost of living reduction
-says PPP/C gov’t will make taxation system less complex

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that the Government of Guyana, through direct interventions and the structural realignment of the taxation system, will continue to invest in its people by building out an ecosystem that supports a good quality of life, promotes the reduction of poverty and reduces the cost of living.

The Head of State during a live Sunday broadcast noted that while the government has already rolled out a slew of measures and have expanded social services, these will be further accelerated should the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration return for a second term.

“I am going to outline to you this very deliberate and clear strategy that supports a specific social welfare programme, an enhancement programme that looks at a system where the taxation system must not add any burden…in the five years ahead of us, the taxation system will become less complex,” President Ali said.

Further, he assured his viewers that the focus is on systemic policies that address both short-term and long-term challenges, promoting economic growth and social safety nets.

“It would allow more income in the pockets of people. We will ensure that every segment of the population grows but more direct initiatives are pursued at the family level, the lower income level, the middle-income level, supporting our young professionals so that they can have a high-quality life.”

The government he noted will be further enhancing access to essential services like health, education, and water infrastructure.

“Those are things that will continue to support, because they’re essential in addressing vulnerabilities. So, for example, the increase salaries for public service and our public servants, and… support [for] our farmers, the increases in old-age pension, public assistance grants and programme, the NIS pension, Because We Care grant for school children, that will be expanded.

He added: “So we have crafted some very specific issues in addressing poverty, in addressing cost of living, all aimed at ensuring all of our country grow in this period of economic expansion.”

Already too, the government has committed to slashing electricity and cooking gas costs by 50 per cent when its flagship gas-to-energy project comes on stream.

This he noted is an essential service that will see direct relief.

“So, when you have not only accessibility and reliability, but the cost of energy coming down by half that is directly addressing poverty, because this is an essential service. Similarly, with the gas project coming on stream, cooking gas is going to come down substantially. We are targeting cylinder of cooking gas at $1,000. Now that, again, is another essential item, that’s another essential item that will reduce poverty that will save for the household.”

Further, he emphasised that community wealth will be at the core of the government’s economic expansion. According to him, these will see co-investment and grants for small and medium-sized enterprises, expanded part-time job programmes with skills training, incentivised lending through lower interest rates and reduced collateral requirements, community housing subsidies for low-income families and direct support to the arts, forestry, fishing and mining sectors.

For example, the president stated: “We’re removing every cost associated with education from the ordinary family: textbooks, primary education, secondary education, free university education, transportation grant, Because We Care grant, expanding the school feeding programme.”

Over the past five years, more than 200 taxes have been repealed, while social programmes have been broadened to include all sectors of society. Measures have been introduced to offer subsidies and direct support for housing construction and improvement, with a particular focus on assisting poor and vulnerable families. Initiatives to encourage banks to lower interest rates and ease collateral requirements for low-income groups have also been explored.

“These are the things that we’re going to pursue in a comprehensive way in the next five years as we address poverty costs of living and economic expansion directly at a community level, and the regional level, and a national level,” President Ali emphasised on Sunday.