–says gov’t has infinite faith in soundness of judgement of Guyanese people to not be ensnared by parliamentary opposition
–affirms Budget 2026’s ability to benefit all Guyanese as debate wraps up
BRINGING the 2026 national budget debate to a close just after midnight, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, warned that political leadership must be earned, not assumed, as he took aim at the parliamentary opposition.
The minister unleashed a blistering broadside against the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), whose respective members left before the close of the session in the National Assembly.
Dr Singh said: “He who is not willing to be a foot soldier is not entitled to be a general,” a barb directed at APNU’s Terrence Campbell, who, Dr Singh said, had not proved he could serve at the grassroots before seeking higher office in the house.
Contrary to the opposition, the Senior Minister pointed to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C’s) expansive and profound engagements with various sections of the Guyanese populace. He reminded that the government’s fiscal record and its approach to formation of the 2026 national budget and broader economic plans for the country, is guided by the input of the people.
Dr Singh lauded his party’s parliamentary cohort, praising both long‑serving figures and newly elected MPs for their contributions to the debate.
He contrasted their unity and experience with what he described as a ‘fragmented and weakened’ opposition, arguing that such disunity undermined any claim to be an effective alternative government.
Responding directly to comments made by the opposition, Dr Singh defended the administration’s economic stewardship, pointing to a markedly low debt‑to‑GDP ratio and continued investment in social services as evidence of prudent management.
He rejected criticism that government consultations with stakeholders were merely token gestures, saying engagement had been extensive and ongoing.
‘GUYANESE WILL BE WISER’
The minister then shifted his attention to the controversial Opposition Leader, U.S.-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed, who was warned several times by the Speaker of the National Assembly for reading a speech during his maiden presentation to the House; this action is against the established Standing Order of the House.
Singh referenced the story of Pablo Escobar as a reminder of the dangers that Guyanese face.
Azruddin and his father Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed face 11 criminal counts in the U.S. Southern District of Florida involving alleged wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, and customs violations tied to what authorities describe as a US$50 million gold-export and tax-evasion scheme.
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned both men in June 2024 for alleged gold smuggling and public corruption.
The U.S. investigation dates back to the mid-2010s and involved multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Department of Homeland Security.
“I beg of the leader of the opposition, do not ensnare innocent, vulnerable Guyanese people in this effort to save yourself. If you are innocent, you will prove that innocence in court,” Minister Singh said.
In his maiden contribution to the National Assembly, the opposition leader was repeatedly cautioned for reading extensively from a prepared speech, as he attempted to criticise the PPP/C government for the fiscal measures outlined in the budget.
VASTLY SUPERIOR
Dismantling both the WIN and APNU’s arguments that Budget 2026 is not people-centred, Dr Singh said the government’s investments are guided by the needs of the people, ranging from the improved delivery of health care to education and other social services.
He reminded that the government has an established economic strategy to propel and build a modern Guyana over the next five years, and the $1.558 trillion budget will set the pace for massive developments.
“Not every problem has been solved in the education sector, the health sector, but nobody can’t stand up with a straight face and say that the quality of health care and the quality of education they get today is not vastly superior, vastly superior to what they benefitted from five years ago,” the minister said.
He added: “We will not always get it right, but we get the overwhelming majority of things right and we will continue to spend every single day, Mr Speaker, for the next five years to ensure that the people of Guyana see steady and sustainable improvements in their lives and to ensure that their country doesn’t end up down an abysmal path.”
Dr Singh said that the PPP/C’s track record has placed it to be superior to other political players across the country, pointing to the significant improvements in various sectors in Guyana.
He reminded the House that tens of thousands of Guyanese have already benefitted from improved services, including elective and emergency surgeries, as well as the distribution of hearing and other assistive aids.
Dr Singh further underlined the government’s commitment to the productive sectors, particularly farming communities.
He pointed to ongoing efforts to modernise the sugar industry and to support rice farmers through extension services and inputs such as paddy and fertiliser.
Cash-crop farmers are expected to benefit from the construction of new Hope-like canals designed to reduce the risk of flooding in several regions, while over 100,000 acres of new lands is being opened up for cultivation.
He reminded too of the forthcoming US$100 million SME Development Bank, which will offer zero-interest, zero-collateral loans to small entrepreneurs and help them secure additional concessional financing from commercial banks.
Dr Singh vowed that not a single day in the next five years would be wasted in proving to all Guyanese that the PPP/C remains, in his words, “the vastly superior alternative” among competing political options.
