3RD SITTING – THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT | 2026 BUDGET DEBATE | DAY 5
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Come
on.
Heat.
Everyone
Heat. Heat.
Everyone love.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
train.
You know,
Hey,
everyone.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat.
Here
come
down.
Everyone want somebody else.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Here
come the future.
Hello.
Everyone
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Honor members, Mr. Speaker.
Honorable members,
let us start our resumption with prayers
led by the clerk.
Almighty God, we here gathered together
do most humbly beseech thee to guide us
in all our consultations so that we may
together build a land where knowledge is
free, where the mind is without fear and
the head is held high and where words
come from the depth of truth. Grant us,
oh God, the need and guidance, so that
we may deal justly with the several
causes that come before us. Lay aside
all private interests, prejudices, and
personal preferences, so that the result
of our councils may be to the glory of
thy blessed name, the maintenance of
true religion, the preservation of
justice, the safety, honor, and
happiness of the president, and the
peace and prosperity of Guyana. Grant
us, oh God, the vision so to lead, that
all the people of this fairand may enter
into that state of brotherhood and
unity, where their mind is led forward
by thee into ever widening thought and
action. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Please be
seated.
>> Honorable members,
I have a few announcements
starting with a not so pleasant one.
First, I'd like to
inform you that the father of our
minister of agriculture,
the late Aal
Mustapa Arman passed away.
Our minister of agriculture has been
coming in and out of the house because
he was attending to his late dad medical
issues.
The janaza
for Muslims, which means the funeral
uh prayers most likely will be held on
Sunday
in Bloomfield, Burbies. We will inform
honorable members about the arrangements
to the minister
and his family.
on your behalf and on behalf of my
family and I, I have extended our
sincerest condolences.
Uh the late Mr. Mustapa Rahman is not
just the father of our late minister. He
has spent some 70 years in community
leadership,
community organizing and working
especially for the people of region six.
and we thank that family for his service
services. Also
an update on our late member of
parliament who was injured yesterday. Uh
there are two fractures in the leg. The
honorable member will uh be in cast for
about 6 to 8 weeks. I want to express
our appreciation to the
>> MPs.
Uh, Mr. Jordan, you're going to have to
start respecting the chair. You're going
to have to start doing it. No, let's
start with this, please.
>> I I I Please,
she's injured due to no fault of hers.
In spite of all the efforts we've made
to ensure the safety of everyone who
uses this chamber, there was an issue at
the stairs. The cabling is put in a
metal trunking that doesn't have any
flexibility and her heels hit that part.
Unfortunately, she's going to be out for
6 to 8 weeks. I say thanks to the
members, staff and the emergency medical
team that is on site
who rendered immediate assistance.
Uh
the
staff at the convention center and
parliament is working to address issues
of the feed,
the video and the audio feeds coming out
of the convention center. But we're
suffering from Murphy's law. We've done
this for 5 years and whatever can go
wrong, he says will go wrong. and we've
been experiencing a bit of that.
Unfortunately,
the equipment doesn't give you warning
when it's going to go down. We have
replacement
devices for many of the ones we know
could go wrong. So, we are working
diligently to do that. Uh we have
already had the occupation safety and
health people in here and they have
suggested recommended some changes
because fundamentally we are blocking
entrances
and so the cameras will be repositioned
Monday so that they are not going to
take up space on the stairs and there
are some other issues that we will
address as a matter of urgency.
Honorable members, especially for the
new members, and we also owe you a duty
to help inform you
uh about our standing orders, our rules
uh in the house. Today we have to make
some amendments to our standing orders.
No, sorry, sorry, our order paper and
that is in the form of suspending some
standing orders and these are to allow
for not only the debate and the
consideration of the estimates but for
passing the necessary legislation to
ensure that those budget measures which
are in the budget that those are fully
legal.
and all that happens during this
process. Minister of finance will be
moving those. And I want to say to the
new members also, the parliament
organizes
educational sessions on parliamentary
procedures
after every new parliament.
And this is not done by the clerk and
the speaker.
we could assist but the Commonwealth
parliamentary association
we invite them to come and do those
sessions. So while it's nice to see the
speaker traveling business and going to
all these conferences and so there are
many other benefits we network we get
the brightest the most experienced MPs
to come and they don't only do it for
Guyana so that is under consideration
along with that for the new members
there is the
Caribbean and Atlantic
branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association
and Guyana
provides the secretariat services
for the regional branch and our clerk
clerks for the entire Caribbean that
branch.
So you are going to get um that session
organized. We are looking at scheduling
right now. We have two considerations.
Um the amount of festivals coming up and
holidays along with Ramadan in two weeks
time and the availability of the
international resource persons who will
come here for most likely a week and for
that we also would invite um other
parliaments. Surinam wants to integrate
a bit more. Uh so a lot happens and for
the public
parliament is not these sittings alone.
is much more. And so we want to ensure
we provide all the training, the
exposure to the representatives of the
people so they can maximize
with efficiency the service that we
provide for those who elected us and
more particularly for the entire nation.
Mr. Clerk
>> present
>> presentation of petitions and reports.
So we have to suspend the standing order
to
>> just suspend.
>> Go ahead.
Honorable minister.
>> Thank you Mr. Speaker. I wish to move
the following motion for the suspension
of the standing orders. Be it resolved
that standing order number 13 sub clause
one be suspended to enable the national
assembly to proceed with the following
regulations and bills at its third
sitting. One, the exercise tax amendment
of schedule regulations 2026 number
three of 2026 to be laid in the national
assembly. Two, the fiscal amendments and
amendment sorry fiscal enactments
amendment bill 2026 bill number three of
2026. and three the marriage amendment
bill 2026 bill number four 2026 to be
introduced and read for the first time
in the assembly. These are all tax
measures that have been reported in the
budget document and this is to allow us
uh to pass these this debate and pass
these bills um on next Friday. Thank you
very much.
>> Thank you very much honorable minister.
The motion is proposed. Those in favor
say I. I
>> those again say no. Eyes have it. The
motion is carried.
Honorable senior minister in the office
of the president.
Am I ahead of you, Mr. Clerk?
The honorable Ashley Singh.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Mr. Speaker, sir, as I'm as I'm on
my feet, allow me to join you in
expressing
uh condolences
to my colleague, the Minister of
Agriculture, on the sad passing of his
father, who, as you
indicated,
was not only the father of our current
Minister of Agriculture, but was himself
a longstanding
servant of the pe a long-standing and
dedicated and distinguished
servant of the people of region 6 and of
the people's progressive party. So my
condolences to Minister Mustapa and his
entire family and permit me too, sir, to
join you in expressing best wishes for a
full and speedy recovery to the
honorable
member, Miss Ketta Macdonald, who uh
suffered that very unfortunate mishap
yesterday.
Sir, the privilege is mine now on behalf
of this People's Progressive Party Civic
Government to table
uh the following
um paper andor report specifically
the excise tax amendment of schedule
regulations 2026
regulation
regulations number three of 2026 Six. I
assume, sir, that I will be called on
separately to table the fiscal
enactments act at the appropriate time.
Thank you very much, sir.
>> And you move that it be read the first
time?
>> And I move Sorry.
>> So, I'm just tableabling the regulations
at this time.
>> I I believe, sir, that you might be
calling me in a minute or two under the
next item to table the the bill and to
move that it be read the first time.
Thank you very much, sir. Thank you very
much honorable uh minister
again the honorable senior minister in
the office of the president
with responsibility for finance
>> sorry introduction of bills
>> very thank you very much mr speaker I
recognize that we are in slightly uh
novel territory
The privilege is now mine, sir, to
um present to this honorable house the
following bill, the fiscal enactments
amendment bill 2026 bill number three of
2026.
A bill instituted and act to amend the
income tax act, the corporation tax act,
the value added tax act, the property
tax act, and the customs act. And I now
move sir that the aforementioned bill be
read the first time. Thank you very
much.
>> Let the bill be read the first time.
>> Fiscal enactments amendment bill 2026.
Bill number three of 2026.
Honorable Minister of Home Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I beg this House to pass
the to present before this House the
Marriage Amendment Bill 2026, bill
number four of 2026.
and I move that it be read the first
time.
>> Thank you very much, Minister.
Let the bill be read the first time.
Marriage Amendment Bill 2026, bill
number four of 2026.
And again uh for the no members if we do
not do this procedure we would violate
the standing order which says that we
have to give 6 days clear notice before
we could de um debate the bill. So if we
do it today we can do it consider this
on Friday next week.
So, thank you very much. We can now move
to
the resumption of the debate. And
today's first speaker is Mr. Shana Fei
Kurlet. Our shadow minister for home
affairs.
What's wrong with you?
Konichiwa.
>> I begin this afternoon by giving thanks
to the Almighty for strength, clarity
and guidance.
I also want to give sincere gratitude to
the people of this nation who supported
our movement. With that being said, I
want to give or extend a warm
congratulation to the newly elected
leader of the opposition, honorable
Azardin Muhammad.
Mr. Speaker, when the honorable member
Yu Todd used the word democracy to
describe his government in what I can
only call a meaningless presentation
that lacked substance
>> and direction,
>> Mr. Speaker, I was flabbergasted because
the people of this nation is still
waiting to hear a clear foreign affairs
policy from that side of the house.
>> So, Mr. Speaker, I asked where was the
democracy when it took 2 months and 23
days to convene the meeting so that the
non-governmental MPs can elect an
opposition leader? Where was the
democracy when the committees of this
house were paralyzed?
Where was the democracy?
>> I I just want to caution you. I don't
like to interrupt at the beginning of uh
first timer speech but I want to know
which article of the constitution the
speaker violated
in the election of the leader of the
opposition and which democratic
principle I violated. I want to
>> I am moving. Where was the democracy
when the president appointed seven
members
>> and there is
>> service commission
>> and there is a standing order about
criticizing the president in this
assembly.
>> You could bring it in the form of a
motion
>> leader.
>> You can bring it in the form of a
motion.
>> Mr. Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr. Speaker,
it is very clear that the honorable
member
Todd and I and the rest of the world has
two different definition of democracy.
>> Okay, your time is running.
I just want to know what is your
definition and how our constitution
collides with your definition since you
go down there.
>> Mr. Speaker, I beg you to continue my
debate.
>> Mr. Speaker, the
>> I demand the same respect from all sides
of the house.
>> So I just want to know,
>> Mr. speaker
>> your and the international definition I
violated.
>> Mr. Speaker, I'm coming to the
definition.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> the honorable member Facebook
honorable member Mandal came to this
house bragging and boasting about his
trip to Kato. Mr. Speaker, I'm quite
certain that that member did not spend
the night in that village because Mr.
Speaker, if he did, he would have known
that the only light that village receive
at night is the moonlight. Mr. Speaker,
and they're going to want to say that
I'm bringing false information to this
house,
>> because the honorable prime minister had
commissioned a 0.15
hydropower plant
in that village. But Mr. Speaker, the
residents of that village, they're
saying that the plant only work during
the commissioning ceremony after which
it is not functioning.
>> What is even more troubling, Mr. speaker
is that the residents are saying when
they when they go to the police station
to make a report, the police officers
have to use their flashlights to take
the report because of the darkness. Mr.
Speaker, and if you think that I'm
exaggerating, here are pictures of that
village in the night. I am not sure if
the members on the other side can
actually see the photograph due to the
darkness.
>> Mr. Speaker,
when the honorable member Pauline
talked about
all the amenities and how she that if
you don't walk the ground and you don't
be in the communities, you will not
know. Mr. speaker. I totally agree with
her 100%.
She even talked about all of the roads
that are linking communities. But Mr.
Speaker, I want to ask her what happened
to the road that links Chinapa to Paraka
Toy. She talked about using the
residents can use their ATV
on the road. Now, Mr. Speaker,
>> the residents are not riding their ATVs
on the road.
>> They are pushing it, Mr. Speaker. And
here's an example. Because of the slushy
loom on that road, and I know if that
member was on that road, she wouldn't
have been able to be sitting in this
house today because they still would
have been digging her out.
>> Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Speak. Sorry,
>> Mr. Speaker. This house is asked to
applaud bigger figures and not along
every year as though money by itself is
a proof of progress.
But outside these walls, the GY people
are not living in spreadsheets.
They're living in fear, frustration, and
the growing sense that priorities are
drifting. Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Home
Affairs is charged with the most basic
duty of any state, to keep people safe.
And yet, Mr. Speaker, the same way that
this ministry's budget went up is the
same way domestic violence went up.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> if you think that I am exaggerating,
let's look at the numbers.
In 2025, Mr. Speaker, this ministry was
allocated just over $37 billion.
In 2026, they budgeted for more than $42
billion. Mr. Speaker, that's an increase
of nearly $5 billion in one year.
>> Mr. Speaker, domestic violence reports
are running into the thousands.
The most serious indicator
domestic violence related to murders
doubled from 13 to six. Mr. Speaker,
So you see everything is going up.
>> Mr. Speaker, let me be clear.
>> This ministry is not underfunded.
>> The issue before this house is not
money.
>> The issue is direction, priorities, and
the judgment of the person responsible
for spending the money.
>> Mr. speaker.
>> And this is where this ministry is
beginning to look less like a pillar of
security and more like a broken pro
compass spinning without control.
>> Mr. Speaker, I want to be fair.
>> The honorable minister did act swiftly
on one issue when she assume off this.
>> We all remember it. The country remember
it. Vehicle tint. Yeah.
>> And let me say this clearly before
anyone pretends otherwise.
>> Enforcing the law is not wrong.
>> Road safety matters.
>> Order matters.
>> But Mr. Speaker, priority matters more.
In 2025,
the Kayana Police Force reported
124 fatal
124 fatal road accidents resulting in
137 deaths.
>> This was an increase compared to 2024
>> which was 117 fatal road accidents which
result in 132 deaths.
>> Mr. Speaker, traffic enforcement data
from January the 4th to January the
10th, 2026
shows clearly 3,17
persons
had had committed traffic breaches in
just a single week. Mr. Sick Speaker,
I'm only going to look at the serious
one.
9 964
cases of speeding, 37 drivers charged
for driving under the influence,
including some testing well above the
legal alcohol limit, 49 unlicensed
driver, 59 unfit vehicles for the road,
151 vehicles left in dangerous position.
Mr. speaker and I can go on
but let me just give you an example.
Just recently a fatal just recently a
fatal multi-vehicle collision occur on
the New River Bridge connecting two
regions. The driver involved was charged
with driving without a valid driver's
license.
>> Mr. speaker and other traffic offenses.
One life was lost and several was were
injured. Mr. Speaker, this incident
highlights ongoing challenges in the
road safety and traffic enforcement that
must be addressed alongside crime and
domestic violence,
Mr. Speaker. But instead, the honorable
minister of tint
behavior is can compare to a plastic bag
blowing in the air without no sense of
direction.
Mr. Speaker, the minister has explained
that the old rules were inconsistent and
needed reform to bring clarity and
fairness
>> to the motorists. But while clarity on
tint is wanting, the real question is
whether the ministry's focus and
resources were directed towards the most
urgent safety threats facing G families
like serious crime of which murders has
increased from 117 in 2024 to 130 in
2025.
Mr. Speaker, while enforcement energy
was being poured into tint, families
across Guyana
>> were asking and saying,
>> "Why does the police arrive after an
incident happen when you call them?" Mr.
Speaker, this side of the house is not
satisfied with the growth in figures
alone. We demand growth in outcome. We
demand clarity of purpose. We demand
that safety policy reflects the reality
of people, not uptakes from ministers.
>> Mr. Speaker, when we examine the budget,
we see no proportional urgency. We see
billions allocated but very little
clarity on early intervention programs,
victim victim protection mechanisms,
counseling support linked directly to
law enforcement or measurable outcomes
for prevention, not just reaction. Mr.
Speaker, a police response after
violence occurs is necessary, but
prevention before violence occurs is
leadership. Mr. Speaker, is Mr. Speaker
Le and leadership is exactly what this
ministry is struggling to demonstrate.
>> Mr. Speaker, there are numerous
allegations against senior officers
engaging in sexual misconduct with
junior ranks.
>> When such behavior comes from someone
you work with, the pain cuts deeper.
>> Mr. speaker and I speak from firsthand
experience
because
I was verbally threatened with sexual
assault by the honorable Kwami who said
to me and I quoted, "I will do to you
what I do to little boys.
>> Mr. Speaker, this behavior is
distasteful
and it's abuse."
>> Honorable member Mr. McCoy
I
>> standing order
>> 40
>> standing order 40 Mr. Speaker.
Honorable
member, please.
>> I am standing on standing orders 48.
>> Yes.
>> The honorable member just made a
statement
that accuses me
>> of a remark to her of which I have never
committed. have never said and I would
like her to provide the proof of that
today.
Now here and now
Mr. Speaker I have wless of it Mr.
Speak.
>> Honorable honorable member, this is the
second time during these debates which
we have this situation and unless as I
said earlier I am not competent to judge
her. So if we can get the evidence on
both sides
>> Mr. Speaker, I have witnessed.
>> Yeah,
>> there were persons around when he said
it.
>> Let let's let's produce those. The
minister is saying he didn't
>> minister not you produces to me.
Continue with your presentation. I
didn't stop I did stop the clock.
>> Okay, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, this
behavior was distasteful and it's abuse
of power and a gross violation of
respect for women. Yet this is a man who
sits as a minister in a government that
claims to put people first. Mr. Speaker,
there are also serious corporate
allegations against individuals
entrusted with enforcing the law. Yet,
Mr. Speaker, every time these matters
surfaced,
the response is the same. We are told
they'll be investigated.
Mr. Speakers, thus investigations lead
nowhere. File go silent. Victims are
left exposed. Careers are protected
while justice is postponed.
Mr. Speaker, the tragedy of the Adriana
Young exposed a dangerous gap in our
system. At the time of her disappearance
in April 2025, this country had no
national child emergency alert system.
After her death, the opposition moved
for the establishment of a Adriana Young
alert system. Yet that motion was
blocked from debate instead of
legislation, instead of a national alert
mechanism.
>> You're going down some dangerous road,
you know.
>> Very
Who was the speaker?
>> Mr. Speaker, I withdraw it.
And
>> there is a standing order that deals
with the content of questions and
motions.
>> And every question and motion has to be
read against the standing orders. The
standing orders are our rules,
the parliamentary rules. And I said at
the beginning of the debate from
>> that the parliament is the supreme organ
of the state.
Supreme.
>> So be careful.
>> So guided.
>> How are you going down that road?
>> I'll be so guided, Mr.
>> And if you ever have to bring a motion
or a question, seek the advice of the
clerk who is one of the most experienced
clerk in the common.
>> So guided, Mr. Speaker.
>> Mr. Speaker, the public is asked to
trust a system that repeatedly swallows
allegations and produce nothing but
silent. Due to this, public trust is
left to collapse.
>> Mr. Speaker, when we look at the
estimate, we see buildings, furniture,
equipment, vehicles, and land transport.
These are not bad in these are not bad
investment. We support investment that
benefits the people. But, Mr. Speaker,
we do not support infrastructure without
strategy becomes decoration.
Mr. Speaker, this budget claims to be
about putting people first. But before
we accept that, let us look carefully at
what is truly being put forth. What is
truly being put first?
>> What is truly being put forth? Food
prices up, transportation costs up,
household expenses up, utility bills up,
rent and housing costs up. Mr. Speaker,
you know what went down? Real wages,
meaning what salaries can actually buy
down, disposable income down, household
savings down, quality of life for
frontline workers down, financial
security for their families down. Mr.
Speaker, can you imagine that these
frontline workers are valued at only $1
million if they die in the line of duty?
>> Mr. Speaker, this budget has no
meaningful signal that the cost of
living pressure faced by frontline
workers are being treated as a national
risk. Mr. Speaker, what we saw was the
threshold moving from $130,000
to $140,000
at a 25% pawy rate. Mr. Speaker, that is
equal to $2500
per month. Just excuse me.
young lady.
>> Yes,
>> Mr. speaker,
that is equal to $2500
per month,
which is roughly about $83
per day. And they sit across the room
shouting, putting people first in a
budget of over 1.558
trillion. This is not a broad tax
relief. Mr. Speaker, this is a pay slip
of a police corporal deal with her
>> whose gross salary is 158,000
per month after all the deductions and a
credit loan and a credit union loan. Mr.
Speaker, he's left with $91,487.
Mr. Speaker, and this government
preaches about having the fastest
growing economy. Listen, I
>> honorable member, you'll have to lay
that over and just
>> because whatever you're quoting from,
you have to lay over.
>> Do you understand?
>> Yes.
>> And I just I I noticed you say less
credit union loans, right? Included in
that deduction.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Good.
>> Mr. Speaker,
with that being said, you cannot stop
bribery within an organization without
first understanding and addressing it
root cause.
>> And when you analyze this ministry, the
root cause becomes clear. The officers
within this ministries are underpaid.
They are struggling to survive. They are
struggling to provide for their
families. Mr. Speaker, do you know what
it feels like to go home and see four
eyes staring at you, hungry eyes, and
you have nothing to give to them? Do you
know what it feels like by the time your
paycheck reaches your pocket, it
disappears as though they are holding
it?
>> Mr. Speaker, this is the daily reality
of these officers.
>> Just to the honorable member, I would
like to go in the ring and discuss what
I know about poverty.
Mr. Speaker, this is a reality that
members Mr. Speaker, this is a reality
that members on that side of the house
will never understand
>> because they live in luxury. They live
in comfort. They live off of large
paychecks. And until this house is
willing to confront that truth, until we
address low wages and economic hardship,
lecturing workers about questionable
practices will solve nothing. Not even
the $5 billion budgeted for body cameras
will help.
Mr. Speaker, you cannot demand
discipline from officers who are
struggling to survive. You cannot demand
excellence from workers who feel
invisible and you cannot build public
trust while neglecting those that tasked
with enforcing the law.
Mr. Speaker, the prisoner to staff ratio
is project to improve slightly from 53
to1 in 2025
to 50 to1 in 2026. This is still a ratio
that reflects strain, not comfort. Mr.
Speaker, this side of the house is not
arguing that nothing is being done.
We're arguing that what is being done is
not corresponding with the scale of the
problem. Mr. Speaker, according to the
estimate, the total allocation for the
Ghana Fire Service is just over $5
billion. While this represents an
increase of over the original amount for
2025, it does not represent a structural
shift in how fire and emergency response
is being strengthened across the
country. Mr. Speaker, when we turn to
the estimate, no major modernization
program introduced
Mr. Speaker, there is no clearly
identified new project project aimed at
reducing emergency response time,
expanding coverage in growing
communities or moderniz or modernizing
fire and reducing
capacity in line with increased
urbanization and industrial activity.
Mr. Speaker, this is particularly
troubling in a context where communities
are expanding rapidly. High-rise
construction is increasing and
industrial and commercial fire risk are
growing.
Mr. Speaker,
the fire service remain funded at a
level that this side of the house is not
struggling. It's not suggesting, sorry,
that firefighters are not working hard.
On the contrary, they continue to
perform under pressure often with
limited resources.
But, Mr. Speaker, commitment cannot be
substitute for capacity. Mr. Speaker, a
modern state does not wait for disaster
to expose gaps in emergency response. It
plans ahead. It invests ahead. It builds
resilience before disaster strikes.
Mr. Speaker, the custom anti-narcotics
unit occupies a uniquely sensitive
position in our national security. It is
an it is agency entrusted
with entrusted to in intercepting
illegal narcotics
seizing safeguarding evidence and
supporting prosecutions against
organized crime. Because of that role,
Mr. Speaker, credibility, integrity, and
control systems are everything.
According to the estimate, the canon
receives an allocation of approximately
or will receive $356 million. Mr.
Speaker,
capital expenditure
is minimal. And when we examine
estimates, there is no new project
introduced in 2026 aimed at upgrading
secure storage facilities, strengthening
evidence management system, modernizing
tracking or inventory control for seized
narcotics, or introducing digital chain.
Mr. Speaker, what we see instead are
continue allocations, not reform.
This is deeply troubling when placed
again the public record of concerns
surrounding missing or unaccounted for
narcotics. Mr. Speaker, and this is
where the three piece finds itself along
with the genie. What do I mean, Mr.
Speaker?
>> Mr. What do I mean, Mr. Speaker? They
prevent the narcotics, procure it,
pundit, and then the genie turns it into
flour. What do I, Mr. Speaker? I am not
making any allegations against this
against any individual but is a matter
of public knowledge. Widely report
Mr. Speaker in any serious
anti-narcotics agency such concern
should trigger independent audits harden
storage facilities tamperproof inventory
systems and transparent reporting
mechanism.
>> Yet Mr. Speaker, when we look all we see
no life, no timeline, Mr. Speaker, of
the evidence management reform or a
secure void construction or independent
oversight mechanism. In other words, the
risk factors are acknowledged in public
disclosure, but they are not reflect in
the budgetary response. Mr. Speaker,
credibility in drug enforcement is not
built on seizures alone. It is built on
what happens after From the moment
narcotics are intercept, the state must
be able to account for every gram, every
movement, and every handoff. If the
chain breaks at any point, prosecutions
collapse, public trust erodess, and
questionable practices, Mr. Speaker,
find place to grow. Yet, this budget
does not show that CANU is being
equipped to close those gap.
Mr. Speaker, this side of the house is
not questioning the allocation of
officers. We are questioning whether the
system around them are strong enough to
protect them, protect the evidence, and
protect the interests.
>> Mr. Speaker, as I close this bud, as I
close my presentation,
>> I want to say this budget
>> has everything.
plenty money, plenty promises, and the
same old problem
without any complete answers.
And that reminds me of a culprit
undesirable who flee the BVI before
deportation,
a failure dressed up as second chance.
No matter how it's presented, the
reality underneath remains the same. Mr.
Speaker, the government proudly chants
the slogan of putting people first, but
they never told us which people.
Because, Mr. Speaker, when this budget
is examined line by line, page by page,
the majority of gy are being left
behind. Let me say this clearly. A
budget that leaves most people behind is
not a national budget. It's a selective
one. And this side of the house cannot
and will not support a budget that looks
good in headlines but fails the people
in reality.
Thank you very much honorable member
Miss Py Corlet
and now
I invite
the honorable minister of home affairs.
>> Mr. Speaker
on honorable Mr. Campbell.
>> Yes. Thank you sir. For a brief moment,
I just wanted to rise above the
partisanship and extend my condolences
and that the condolences of the entire
team here to the honorable Zulfika
Mustapa on the passing of his father. I
did not know his father but listening to
you sir and listening to the honorable
minister of finance within the office of
the president, it seems as though he was
a gentleman who gave greatly in terms of
community service to this country.
Guyana is poorer for his loss. I thank
you for this moment, sir.
>> Thank you very much, honorable member.
We will convey those to the honorable
minister. And before before
Minister On Walwin speaks, let us rec
let us recognize
uh the 10 members of Chase Academy who
is sitting opposite where Minister Walun
is standing up to the south.
Thank you, Chase and your teacher for
visiting the National Assembly.
Honorable Minister of Home Affairs, the
Honorable On Walland.
>> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
Speaker, I rise to add my voice to the
support of budget 2026
under the important theme of putting
people first.
Mr. Speaker,
let me
quickly deal with the contribution.
if you will,
>> of my
shadow
>> Mr. Speaker,
the figures for domestic violence
were
inaccurate.
I don't know where those figures have
come from.
Mr. Speaker, we are actually we are in
fact experiencing in 2025
a decrease in the reports of domestic
violence and a increase in the
proportion of convictions as it relates
to the cases that have been reported. So
all around we are actually seeing
improvements in the domestic violence
statistics. The report is available.
Please,
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> the
fire, prison, and the Guyana police
force has seen historic levels of
investment by this PPPC government from
the year 2020 20 and 2025.
And Mr. speaker and these investments
will continue in 2026
but it it's important to announce to
this house and to my shadow Mr. speaker
that for on every level we are seeing
return on the on the investment. Crime
is down historically by 25.5. Serious
crime down by 25.5%
from the year from the end of 2025.
Recidivism rate where the young people
from the Guyana police force is the
lowest it is in the region at 14%. The
rest of the Caribbean region have seen a
recidum rate of 40 and 50%.
and she walks out
>> when they don't want,
>> Mr. Speaker.
>> It is so
this heartening, Mr. Speaker, to see
the level and to hear the level of
misinformation and an incompetence
coming from the other side of the house.
And Mr. speaker added to which there
seems to be an unwillingness
to discourse and to learn. So the idea
is to come to this house, spew the
rhetoric,
send the misinformation and
disinformation and then run away when
we're having a discourse. Mr. Speaker,
this is a debate. This is not the uh
running the campaign and running your
mouth on social media.
>> Correct. It's not Facebook.
>> This is not a brawl. This is this is a
debate and so you should be willing to
open and open to hearing that, you know,
there's another side to the story. But
Mr. Speaker, with that being said,
>> my
shadow
Very
well. Very well. I'm guiding.
>> All right, Mr. Speaker. The honorable
member
>> has also
raised
the issue of
>> Mr. Speaker, I I I will pivot a bit to
say to speak to this as we're speaking
about competence and building up the
we are in a serious in the serious
business of building and
>> this nation
and Mr. Speaker,
we have
this the budget 2026.
A lot of us, a lot of us indeed, even
the experienced one, miss sometimes how
the mammoth task it takes to craft a
budget like this, especially in the
context of a nation that is rapidly
evolving and changing and developing.
And
as we we're talking about shadows, I
took a look around, Mr. speaker over
this week at the members on the opposite
side
as we are comparing the looking at the
shadows and and the I realize Mr.
speaker
that they the
honorable Ashni Kumar Singh is really
has demonstrated along with his staff
uh such an expertise, acumen, astuteness
where it comes over these past few years
where it comes to crafting and
presenting to this assembly a budget
that is fit for purpose for a growth
growing economy
and then I I looked around and I thought
but who can who can shadow this
venerable Ashnik Mar
when was they were smart they didn't
bother they didn't even bother they
throw up their hands they didn't even
bother and I looked around and I was you
know I did a and and I hope my my
colleague will forgive me for this I did
a brief a a quick Google of Ash sings
and singing his his his his
qualifications. I know Ashley must
forgive me for this and
Google does not do him justice in terms
of the length and breadth and depth of
his qualifications
>> and he's modest Mr. Speaker but Mr.
Speaker I want to make the point that
competence matters. You cannot come to
this house mouth off. No bereft of
ideas. Bereft of ideas. Some of them on
the other side claim that they can
shadow the minister of health and the
minister of finance together with their
50 minutes that they have.
>> Now, Mr. Speaker,
>> I wish to congratulate
the honorable
>> Dr. Ashni Singh and the staff of the
Ministry of Finance
in crafting this budget as well as the
staff from the ministries
all across the public servants for the
work that they have put into months and
months of work in crafting this budget.
My shadow
mentioned
in her social media while she was she
took the
they
while
she took the opportunity to
to criticize the capital projects.
Empty
vessels make the most noise. Children,
>> the empty vessels. There they are.
She mentioned, Mr. Speaker, that the
capital projects at the Ministry of Home
Affairs, one of when of one of the
capital projects that some of the money
could have been some of the money could
have been used.
>> The money that she claims that was
wasted
could have been used for other social
programs.
And I invite the honorable shadow to
consider what $11 billion
could have been used for. I invite her
to consider
as she knows what
>> they
as she was quite poised to know what the
monies that Ministry of Home Affairs she
claims had not been able have been put
to waste. She said in her in her script
that do you know what the $74 million
could do? It can pay helps a child who
can go to school.
>> And I would invite her to consider that
$11 billion and I would help her out
with this one. $11 billion could build
4,000 about 4,000 core homes.
>> $11 billion, Mr. Speaker.
can pay 110,000
cash grants for of 100,000 each.
>> 11 billion, Mr. Speaker, can pay 1,000
workers a minimum wage for 9 years.
And I will invite the
honorable shadow to go and consider what
else 11 billion can do.
>> And you know, Mr. Speaker,
>> I often am baffled at the tmerity
of members of the opposition
when they especially on the wind side
when they come around and act as
crusaders of
financial accountability
and they go they
have all sorts of
Minister,
>> vile and vitriolic things to say about
us on the government side. And Mr.
Speaker, you yourself have been victim
to these vile attacks, Mr. Speaker.
>> And I'm wondering what gives them this
moral authority to crusade around and
say that they're the virtue and
paragons. He said, "I am here to to call
out all the wrongs. I am a crusade for
the truth." What gives them this that
doarity? Mr. Speaker,
>> Mr. Speaker,
I
some there
I call before me, Mr. Speaker,
an indictment, a grand jury. members Mr.
Jordan Mr. Campbell please
>> Mr. Speaker
we are
is in the public domain Mr. speaker
>> that are the members
>> on the other side Mr. Speaker
>> that there is a
public document
>> an indictment Mr. Speaker
>> that is that is a p in the public domain
but Mr. Speaker,
I will not read
this document, Mr. Speaker, because I
know that the word
corruption, which appears several times
in this document, appears too many in
every almost every sentence. So, I will
not be able to read the document, Mr.
Speaker.
>> But I wonder, Mr. speaker with the names
and the and the activities mentioned in
this document,
how how can you stand
and say the things that you say about
people on the other side or on the
government side and Mr. speaker
in sitting on the bench I as a
magistrate for seven years I had I start
to develop a natural curiosity to
understand human behavior
>> and to understand why people do the
things that they do like I said because
this behavior baffles me
>> Mr. Speaker and
>> the
the honorable member Missa Walton Dizier
>> thank you Mr. Mr Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I
stand on a point of order uh standing
order 48. I just want to be clear. Are
we now allowed to say the word
corruption in the chambers
>> because I've heard the honorable member
Ah, hold on, hold on, hold on. I've
heard the honorable member say it on
three different occasions in the last
minute. So, I just want to be very clear
as to whether we're now allowed to use
the word. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Honorable
member,
>> we have
>> listen.
>> And she corrected herself. You didn't
hear that when she said that word
appears. So, she's going to desist,
right?
>> So, please listen. Go ahead, honorable
minister.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying,
>> I developed uh natural curiosity, Mr.
Speaker, as I stand as I in my time on
the bench as to understand human
behavior and why is it that people are
do are motivated to do the things that
they do. And I spent some a lot of time
reading
the works of Carl Jung, the Swiss
psychologist and psych analyst
and
young. Thank you very much. They wait
the pronunciation.
>> That is okay. I I stand corrected.
>> It is spelled J U N G. That's the the
spelling of the name
>> lecturing us on pronunciation again.
>> But he describes Mr. Speaker
the mechanism the individual that an
individual deploys
that is projected
and it's called projecting
of traits that you most abhore in
yourself onto other people.
>> He coins this phrase Mr. speaker
as shadow ironically shadow projection.
>> The shadow being the dark things in
yourself that you can't confront and so
you want to project it. You project it
onto the other person and criticize them
for it. Criticize them for it.
Mr. Because this is it's a defense
mechanism that that individuals deploy
unconsciously because
>> they have to attribute their own
thoughts and feelings and bad behavior
onto the other person to avoid dealing
with the shame
>> and the discomfort and insecurity that
these thoughts come.
>> We don't allow that word either.
>> Oh to avoid I I apologize. to avoid
dealing with the discomfort and
insecurity that these feelings bring.
>> So my so Mr. Speaker,
>> one might perhaps understand why
segments of the opposition
say the things that they do, Mr.
Speaker, why it is that they decide that
they have to denigrate the rest of us on
the government side.
And Mr. Speaker,
>> we should listen to what they say. Mr.
Speaker, we should listen carefully.
That's correct.
>> Because they are really telling us about
themselves.
That's right. That's correct.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> I would like to coin the rest of my
remarks
from
>> the budget speech
of March 12th, 1993.
>> Mr. Speaker, and I do this
>> Yes, Mr. speaker
>> because
honorable minister I see the honorable
member Miss Ammanza Walton this year who
puts herself up on a pedestal always
and the honorable member Mr. Jordan who
last night I had to say a few words to
are now are now treading on a particular
standing order.
>> Go ahead honorable minister
Mr. Q Solomon please
>> Mrs.
>> Remember Mr.
Honorable member Mr. Prasad
honorable member Mr. Prasad Mad M
sorry
miss Mr. Speaker,
>> Mr. Jordan,
>> I I Mr. Vince, I suggest that you take a
little while before you return.
>> Please,
>> Mr. Speaker,
clearly some things are rattling them.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> Mr. Speaker,
I would like to kind of my next the my
remarks for these next few minutes
within the context of a little surg in
history because Mr. Speaker, we've been
finding Mr. Speaker that there has been
a deliberate
honorable minister
Mr. Campbell on the street
>> microphone.
Mike, Mike,
>> Mr. Speaker, I know you spoke to this
before, but I am forced to stand on
standing order 38 subsection 6 that a
member, especially a member of six
years, almost six years in this house,
continues to read her speech without the
leave of the speaker, sir. Sorry, it is
ridiculous.
>> Honorable member, Mr. Campbell, clearly
you have a vantage point that I don't
have. Honorable minister, please
continue.
>> Mr. Speaker, just for the record, I have
nothing written. I'm making reference to
all of my notes. There's no speech
written here, Mr. Speaker.
>> But that's the substance with which we
have to deal with in this house, Mr.
Speaker. We're on in this government
side on in the business of building a
nation serious business. And this is the
intervention he makes in the middle of
my intervention
on Friday.
>> Our shadow minister of finance 15
minutes allotted.
>> He wanted us to and by the way he he
designated Mr. speaker himself, the
shadow because it was the opposition,
the main opposition that has that
liberty to designate a shadow minister.
But he had prescribed on himself the
minister the shadow minister of finance
on Friday
>> and gets up to make.
>> Yes, that intervention. So, Mr. Speaker,
as I move on, it is
>> honorable member Mr. Campbell. Yes, Mr.
Mr. Speaker,
>> the honorable member has just uh made an
accusation that I at some point
designated myself shadow minister of
finance. In the same way, Mr. Speaker,
that and I have sent you a video today
where I was quoted wrongly yesterday. In
the same way, I remember saying
yesterday,
>> I will uphold that intervention. uh
don't impute because I don't know that
the honorable minister appointed himself
shadow
>> right yes
>> Mr. Speaker I heard him say that I am
the shadow min I am shadowing the
ministry of finance I heard and health I
did not make that up Mr. Speaker
>> Minister honorable minister we will
check back the notes
>> thank thank you Mr. Yeah,
>> but that is that's the same thing he
said he is shadowing.
>> You don't understand language.
>> Mr. Speaker, I begin
again.
>> Once again, Mr. Speaker, we find that on
the other side they continue to be
strangers to the truth in many instances
and the characterization of our history,
Mr. Speaker,
and where we have come from have often
been misrepresented in this house over
these last five days.
And Mr. Speaker, it is in that context
that I
beg your leave, Mr. Speaker, to use the
budget speech of March 12, 1993,
to give a brief history lesson of where
we've come from, especially for the
young people, Mr. Speaker, because as
the saying goes, those who do not
remember their history are doomed to
repeat repeat it. And Mr. Speaker, I go
on to read
this budget speech. It begins in
September 1990 when general elections
were called. All the opposition parties
rejected the call demanding that
procedures to make the elections free,
fair and transparent were effected
before such elections took place.
The heroic tr struggle of our people
supported by the efforts of the Carter
Center United Nations Development
Program, other agencies and friendly
government culminated in the change of
government. We are grateful to the
international community for the process
of free of making pre the process of the
process of making free and fair
elections a reality.
This achievement resulted in the
installation of the PPP civic government
which takes pride in declaring itself as
a government of the people, by the
people and for the people.
Mr. Speaker, this budget presentation is
indeed a most significant event in that
it is our first budget. This is the
context that I want the nation and this
house to hear. This is our first budget
after being kept out of office for 28
years. The last time this party stood
before the house to pre to present a
budget was December 31st, 1963.
And it is no secret that over that
period, not only did our economy
stagnate and living standards
deteriorated rapidly, but Guyana became
the poorest country in the Western
Hemisphere.
and also our young democracy and
democratic institutions were sacrificed
on the altar of parmancy of the PNC.
>> Mr. His
excellency the president
>> I said with the support of wide
cross-section of freedom loving gy
fought hard hard and long for over 25
years to return democracy to our people
Mr. Speaker, this economy has been
surveyed, analyzed, and subjected to
innumerable consultation.
The submission of the PPPC civic is that
the damage over these years was indeed
devastating. The PNC hurricane leveled
everything in its path, leaving no gain
but a great deal of pain in its trail.
This honorable member, Dr. David Hines
is the misery with which you're
referring to. This honorable member this
David Hines is the darkness and the
oppression to which you are referring to
in your poem the dark it's a dark time I
love by Martin Carter. This is the
misery when a 5-year-old girl had to got
to stand in line because there's
rationing on sugar and flour and her and
her siblings got to stand in line in the
sun. So they can one person can have two
pounds of sugar, the other person going
to buy two pounds of flour, the other
one can buy a pint of of thing of of of
um oil so they all come together and
make for hours.
>> That's correct.
When the lady of God, that is the misery
with which we're referring to. That is
the misery to which Martin Cart is
referring to. Their faces are strained
and anxious. Yes, their faces are
strained and anxious when they didn't
have the money to leave this country and
have to be subjected to a health care
system to condemn to send them to death.
That is their faces were strained and
anxious.
Their faces and strained and anxious.
Mr. Speaker, when they had six children
have to sit on one bench to share one
textbook in a dilapidated school, their
faces were strained and anxious.
>> Honorable member
David Hines,
the PNC regime put people last, Mr.
Speaker and honorable members under the
PP but under the PPP civic government
people come first
33 years ago
33 years ago
>> Mr. Speaker
>> and he will do it again
>> the finance minister says he then was
again time is
>> yes they would want
>> that is why Mr. speaker when we don't
know our history because we gave them a
chance again in 2015 but I move on and
it's the same thing the harsh realities
we are faced with the finance minister
continues to say the harsh realities we
are faced in constructing this budget
was one scheduled debt service
obligations accounting for 100% of
revenue collection
our schedule this is a debate and
responding to the honorable gentleman of
the interventions last year.
Our scheduled debt service obligations
accounted for 100% of revenue collection
infrastructure in a state of disrepair.
Inability to execute projects and draw
down and external loans, grants, and
other forms of financial aid.
Incompetence,
>> infrastructure and disrepair. No money
to pay the social services, no money to
pay for the schools. Now, Mr. Speaker, I
we are happy to announce that Guyana is
at a state where 5.5% of our revenue is
is being made to service debt. So, we
have the balance of that written to pay
for social services, schools, hundreds
of schools being built, hospitals being
built, worldass healthc care being
established.
in 2026. Mr. Speaker,
>> and Mr. Speaker,
>> I will move on quickly cuz I know my
time is aren't going to be expended,
>> but we
Mr. Speaker,
>> the compounding of harsh realities
going on, Mr. Speaker, on the
The compounding of the harsh realities
>> have been the wild inflammatory charges.
Many
>> compounding all the harsh realities have
been the wild inflammatory charges of
ethnic discrimination which the PNC and
its leaders to no avail have
consistently tried to corrode the
legitimacy of the new government.
>> Mr. Speaker, the vast majority of GE
will not continue to tolerate this cheap
divisive tactics
>> in recent times because you've been
relegated to 12 seats from third one.
That's how we know that they're not
going to continue it.
>> In recent times, Mr. Speaker, this
pathetic drama and rhetoric has sunk so
low that under the guise of freedom of
expression, the PNC at AP and UFC, all
of the iteration of the pen continues
its invective on this due democratic
government charged with a mandate from
the GY people to correct the excesses of
a failed and sunk regime whose only last
straw was ethnicity.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to see this
display by the intervention of David
Hines, the honorable member where he
stand. He stood there with his 15
minutes intervention pointed to the
government side of the house and said
the ancestors would be more joyful if
the African gy on that side pointing to
our side of the aisle would stand up for
the Afro gy dignity.
>> African
Africa
>> Mr. speaker
if we would stand up for the African gy
dignity.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> he also used his last couple minutes to
further the defensive rhetoric of who
gets more and who don't get more. The
def the hate, the division, Mr. Speaker,
people are not going to tolerate it
anymore.
And Mr. Speaker, this member on uses his
platform
to strip
every single time by his words the very
dignity he claims to want to uphold or
holds us or uphold of Afro gy. Mr.
Speaker, he has stood on his platform.
Mr. speaker,
>> you will see yourself
>> and call the people
>> and this is a matter of public record,
Mr. Speaker. And the words that I'm
going to say may upset some of our
sensibilities, but it bears repeating,
Mr. Speaker, that the people who support
the African African GE who support the
PPPC government are leg bottom leg
house slaves. Mr. Speaker, I know I
would I know it upsets her
sensibilities, but Mr. Speaker, it has
to be said because this is the indignity
with which
>> honorable minister say it outside of the
house. So, let's keep in here to the
high level. You said we should.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> I will I am authorized to give you 5
minutes to conclude. It starts now.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> this
>> this government
>> this government, Mr. Speaker, is about
the true empowerment.
And it's not and true empowerment is not
dependency.
It is access. It is inclusion. It is
providing an environment for the talents
and and and ambitions of our people, our
young people that they can rise. That is
how dignity is built. Mr. Speaker, the
dignity we promote is dignity of work,
thousands of jobs being provided, the
dignity in education,
>> education being provided, dignity in
enterprise, the development bank,
opportunities that are available, the
dignity in whole, in owning homes. That
is where the dignity is, Mr. Speaker.
that as a nation we can rise together.
Together, Mr. Speaker, Guyana is for all
Gian and this government will remain
firm in its resolve to ensure that
people of all cultures and ethnic groups
participate in and enjoy the fruits of
this beautiful country.
>> Mr. Speaker,
I will speak very quickly, Mr. Speaker,
on the on crime with which I have
responsibility for. To say, Mr. Speaker,
and reinforce that crime is on the
decline, Mr. Speaker, there's serious
reduction of crime being driven by
intelligenceled policing, expansion of
our surveillance infrastructure,
increased police presence, community
policing partnerships, investment in
training and human capital. We are
seeing father we are feed seeing Mr.
Speaker this results from this
investment Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker,
security is the pillar of development
and
Mr.
>> Mr. Speaker,
I want to quickly mention that for the
benefit of this house, Mr. Speaker, that
security
>> and crime fighting
is a matter of national development
>> and Mr. Speaker 11
>> we continue to face the scourge of
financial crime in our country the
threat of financial crimes as all crime
on our national development
>> and we would like Mr. Speaker
>> to
the house so I would like the house to
understand Mr. Speaker that if
Guyana weakens on its anti-money
laundering
enforcement
and our anti-money laundering regime Mr.
Speaker, as we speak of financial crimes
on the girds for the our national
development on the g on the girds or a
financial sector and if we have a weak
anti-money laundering anti- money money
laundering enforcement
correspondent banking relationships
suffer international financial
transactions become harder. investments
are fa investors face a higher
compliance risk and the e entire economy
pays a price
and every person Mr. Speaker must ensure
that funds assets and benefits that they
receive can stand withstand legal
scrutiny
and we need to let the
the house know Mr. Speaker,
because this
about the offense of money laundering
that is created under section three that
a person commits the offense of money
laundering
>> laundering
>> if he know if he knowingly or having
reasonable grounds to believe that any
property in whole or in part directly or
indirectly represents any person's
proceeds of crime.
If the person converts or transvert
property knowing or having reason to
believe that the property is the
proceeds of crime, conceals or disguises
the true nature, origin, location,
disposition, movement or ownership of
that property, knowing or having reason
to believe that the property is the
proceeds of crime. acquires, possesses
or uses as property knowing or having
reasonable grounds to believe that is
derived directly or indirectly from the
proceeds of crime. It assists any person
who is involved in the commission of an
offense in paragraphs A, B, and C to
evade the legal consequences of it of
his actions, participates in, associates
with or commit or aids and abetss,
councils or procures or facilit
facilitates the commission of any of the
the above acts. And the act goes on to
describe what proceeds of the of the
crime mean. Mr. Speaker, it beholds us
to for the House to understand this
because there have been some worrying
developments. Mr. Speaker,
the proceeds of a crime means any
property derived or realized directly or
indirectly from a serious offense and
includes on a proportional basis
property into which any property derived
or realized directly from the offense
was later converted, transformed,
transformed, or intermingled as well as
income, capital, or other economic gains
derived or realized from such property
at any time since the offense
and indirect proceeds of a crime,
including income profits or other
benefits from the proceeds of the crime
and property held by any other person
assets of every kind. What this regime,
this AML regime and this legal framework
provides, Mr. speaker that if I go out
and
take get rob a store, take the money
home to my father and he takes his
pension money that he was saving up and
we put it together that is the
co-mingling with which you're talking
about and we go and we buy a property
together. the rent from that that uh
income property that you go and you rent
subsequently the rental from that
property is proceeds of a crime and that
Mr. Speaker
>> Minister as you're dealing with crime
you've exist
>> but I I will I will close off Mr.
Speaker Mr. Speaker please please
indulge me I will I will close now
recidivism is down historic numbers Mr.
Mr. Speaker, I want to close, Mr.
Speaker, by
noting that we will take financial crime
seriously. We will continue to enforce
our anti-moning laws and I for the
benefit of the house
read out the the substance and I urge
this house to go read of what constitute
a crime uh under the anti-moneyaundering
act. And Mr. Speaker, this matters to us
beca because Guyana, as I wrap up,
Guyana is is on a trajectory of
important nation building. Our financial
sector, our financial regime has to be
protected and we will continue to
protect it from crime and proceeds of
crime and anything that will derail the
growth and the trajectory of nation
building that we are on. And Mr.
Speaker, in the words of the finance
minister as he then was like never
before
as we envision this our new Guyana,
Guyana in 2026
as we grow and the our nation building
and we are transformed like never
before. The words of Martin Carter,
Guyana's celebrated poet echoes in the
hearts of our people. And now in this
August chamber everywhere the songs of
life are floating like new ships on a
new river sailing sailing tomorrow and
the world and the songs of life and all
my friends are yes tomorrow and the
whole world awake and full of good life.
>> Mr. Speaker, I beg to commend this
budget to the House and move the motion.
Oh, beg.
>> Thank you very much, honorable Minister
of Home Affairs, the Honorable On Wall.
The honorable minister of sorry the
honorable attorney general and minister
of legal affairs the honorable Mahabir
Anil Nandlal
senior counsel
sir your time starts now
>> thank you very much Mr. Speaker,
>> I want to begin by extending my
congratulations
to my distinguished brother, the
minister of finance and his staff.
Of course, all the staff in all the
other ministries and all the other
ministers whose collective efforts were
presented here as form of our 20 in the
form of our 2026
budget. And of course, I want to
especially commend the Minister of
Finance for his marathon presentation of
that budget
>> with his characteristic elegance
6 and 1/2 hours I think.
>> So, Mr. Speaker, coming low down in the
batting order has given me the advantage
of listening to a number of
presentations.
almost the entire opposition side and I
dare say Mr. speaker with respect and
inexperienced
opposition
but they regailed us
>> in all types of lectures.
They purported they purport to explain
to us about how budgets should be
presented, how policies should be
crafted,
all manner of things. When you listen to
them, rather than temper their
presentation
with the commensurate inexperience,
they unfortunately exhibited an uncanny
degree
of arrogated knowledge and experience. I
want to lecture this bunch of veterans
as my brother Jacob said.
So, Mr. Speaker, I thought it best I
thought it best to put on the record
again of this house that the People's
Progressive Party on whose behalf I have
the privilege to speak has been crafting
and presenting budgets in the colonial
assembly and in this national assembly
since the year 1953,
73 years ago.
And in terms of winning free and fair
elections, we have demonstrated that we
are the most successful unit in that
regard, not only in Guyana, but the
entire Caribbean.
>> We know this thing.
Every election
we go to the people with a manifesto
and we discuss with the people that
manifesto
and the people if they endorse the
manifesto then we tell them to elect us
and when they elect us they put us in
government we implement that manifesto.
Mr. Speaker,
that winning formula was once again
employed
in the September 1st elections.
And from 2020, we have been engaging
constantly with the people of our
country, recording those engagements,
and we produced a budget which we took
to the people under the banner forward
together for a better Guyana.
the the manifesto and we traveled in
length and breadth of this country and
we explained this manifesto to the
people. We explained every policy. We
explained every project. We explained
every program and we said to the people
that if you wish us to implement these
policies. If you agree with these
programs, if you support these plans,
then elect us and we will implement
them. And we have, Mr. Speaker, an
unenviable
track record of success.
>> That's correct. We have that of
delivering on promises. So the people
believed us and when the results of the
first of September 20 20 25 elections
were re were were were revealed.
>> Some people had a heart attack. When the
election results came out, we got 36
seats.
Meaning that the people voted solidly
for those programs, solidly for those
plans and solidly for those projects and
they are contained in that in this
budget that we are presenting.
So with the greatest of respect, you
don't agree with it. You didn't vote for
us. You didn't agree with it. You didn't
vote for us. The people who vote for us,
we are representing them and every other
dias.
>> That is the reality of politics my
friend.
>> That is the politic reality of politics.
that responsibility
>> and you know what
>> given to them
>> we don't have to put it
on a manifesto that we are putting
people first we are in politics together
>> and they the APNU did just like us
>> they did just like us they went to the
people
they had a manifesto
they told the people these are the plans
these are the projects these are the
policies ies. If you want them, if you
want us and if you want these
implemented, vote for us. And we are
putting you first. They put that on the
document. When the results came out, the
people put them last.
Today they have been reduced to the back
benches of the parliament.
>> The last benches.
>> Last bench. Very good.
>> Last benches.
last well there
clapping. I like the clapping part.
>> I like that part.
>> So, Mr. Speaker,
>> and let me explain these results because
I still hear some quibbling. One member
says seats don't matter.
>> We got 36 seats. You got 12. I know
you're not strong in maths. That's three
times the amount of seeds that you got.
You got 16. We got two and a4 times that
you got. So you must know your places.
Who you talking to this night?
>> Know your place.
>> Must know your places.
>> Know your place.
>> And you the honorable amir. We have to
restructure a seat. She only got
>> Did you say Nadir?
>> Sorry.
>> Did you say Nadir? Deir. Oh. Oh, sorry.
>> Deir here.
>> We'll never make such a mistake, sir.
>> So, we need to configure a new chair.
She only got three quarter of a seat.
>> Actually, it was like half. It was like
half because
>> Mr. Speaker, and we know why the people
voted the way they did because I sat in
this house and I heard an honorable
member on that side say that the 5Bs
program
that consisted of two
>> 32
>> 20 seat bosses
>> 32
>> 22 seats bosses. is three bicycle
>> and 12 votes.
>> That is a more superior program than our
cash grand program.
And when the honorable member said so,
the comrade next to him said, "You hear
him? He's a businessman.
He's a businessman." Comrade 32 boss.
We are giving a $26,000
children of our country $85,000
and these people are talking about three
bicycle, two boats and 32 bus and they
they're surprised that they're on that
side in a minuscule number of 12
and Mr. Speaker
over there. I heard the honorable member
Dexter Todd, he's not here and maybe it
is inexperienced.
The honorable member came to the podium
and he was shrieking and he was
screaming. I had to walk out of the
house while the leader of the opposition
was getting migraine in the court. I got
migraine in the parliament listening to
him.
The comrade was creeping, screaming, and
screeching like a hyena in heat. But he
said a couple of things that I must
respond to. Mr. Speaker, he said a
couple of things that I must respond to.
>> Mr. Speaker, I am a fan of National
Geographic. Check it out.
He spoke about the international
observer reports in relation to the 2025
elections and he trying tried to create
some type of misconception and
misconstruction about what the reports
said. But let me say one thing. Every
single observer team that observed those
re those elections, their reports said
unequivocally
that the results declared by GCOM
reflect the will of the electorate of
this country.
>> That's right. That's right.
>> That is what they said.
>> The comrade is a lawyer. He would know
that that is the ratio the cedi of the
report and everything else is obed.
He made another
>> statement and perhaps the honorable
member Ganesh will convey to the
honorable member to honor uh Mr. Aubrey
Norton that you got to hold some classes
with these people. There are certain
things that you don't bring up. There's
certain aspects of your past that you
don't revisit.
But your experience came to the four and
the comrades chose to speak about Dr.
Walter Rodney's assassination. And look
what the man is sitting next to.
>> And yes, I will get to cover David Hines
shortly. And he tried to convey in this
tried to distance the PNC from the
assassination
of that great historian and a
panaffrican scholar of Girth.
a man whom we respect and this country
uh owes a great uh duty to river and
continue to respect him.
It was the PPP government that
established an independent
commission to inquire into the death of
Dr. Rodney
>> and that commission that commission was
consisted of
international jurists notes
jurists from the Caribbean specially
selected the PNC
the PNC
appeared with council at that commission
they appeared by council they chose to
participate and of course by the time
the commission
concluded its work. They got into
government and they stifled the work of
the commission. But fortunately, the
commission had completed its tasks. And
let me read into the record, Mr.
Speaker, two findings of the commission.
>> Firstly,
Dr. Walter Rodney was a man of large and
significant stature both in Guyana and
beyond at the time of his death.
>> He could only have been killed in what
we find to be a state organized
assassination with the knowledge of
Prime Minister Burnham in the Guyana of
that period.
>> Wow. It was a controlled society and
Barnham had a large and detailed
knowledge of whatever was being done by
the state and its agencies. Time to
interject, Terrence.
>> Now, let me go to conclusion number two.
We have no hesitation in holding
that Gregory Smith was responsible for
Dr. Walter Rodney's death on the 13th of
June 1980
and that in so doing he was acting as an
agent of the state having been aided and
abetted so to do by individuals holding
position of leadership in state agencies
and committed to carry out the wishes of
the PNC administration. Thank you.
>> Put that on the record.
>> That is what the commission of inquiry
found.
>> Mr. Speaker, when we come to this house,
>> and you will table that report.
>> I will table the entire the report is
before the house.
>> Okay.
>> Sorry.
>> The third,
>> the third point that the honorable
member made
>> and I don't know why this honorable
member say these things. He said to this
house
>> that the government, this government
must take it knees, its knees off of the
neck of the judiciary. They watch TV and
they get carried away. There is no
originality.
They get carried away with slogans in
America.
Where what is the evidence in this
country that that there has ever been an
attempt to interfere with the
independence of the judiciary by this
administration. I say no one can produce
any such evidence. That's good.
And that is why I said why the honorable
member would go down that road
>> when he sits on the benches of the
people's national congress and the
people's national congress in 1970
abolish appeals to the privy council
remove the privy council from our legal
system thereby making the court of
appeal of Guyana our final court, then
go to the court of appeal and nail the
party flag. Look, the party flag on the
wall of the court of appeal to say to
the people of Guyana, the PNC now
controls the pinnacle of the Guyana
judiciary.
>> That's right.
>> Under the doctrine of party paramounty,
>> inexperience. And this this comrade
comes here to cast aspirations on the
PPP.
My God.
>> Let me get back
let me get back to my presentation. Mr.
Speaker,
Mr. Speaker,
I want to turn my attention now
>> to the Wein Invest in Nationhood Party.
A party that all of us would agree was
born out of the most dubious
circumstances.
What is manifestly undoubted
is had the honorable leader of the
opposition
not face certain legal problems, none of
you would have been there. You know that
each and every one of you know that
>> you were born out of personal necessity.
Born out of personal necessity.
But we live in a democracy.
>> They would have been over here.
>> We live in a democracy. No,
>> this you are so much scorned that they
prefer to go over there.
>> That's correct. That's correct. That is
correct.
>> You are you have scarred the psyche of
generations.
to 15 minutes.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> when
people have their personal problems,
we stay away from it. There's common
decency. There's the order of civil
society. But when you begin to hold
public office,
>> when you are an elected member of the
National Assembly, more so a leader of
the opposition,
then some aspect of your private
business becomes our business, the
people business and the public business.
Yes.
>> And the matter is compounded
by the fact that the honorable member
chooses as his main platform
>> anti-corruption.
>> Anti-corruption. Not corruption.
Anti-corruption. Now I'm not banned.
I got you the speaker.
And he chooses the platform of
transparency and accountability to
launch his campaign.
And nothing is wrong with that.
Nothing is wrong with that. Those are
virtuous and pious platforms to mount.
But when you do that, you must know that
it is not a one-way street.
As the honorable member sweat lamb and I
told you I'll quote you. She said it
beautifully and she made it a thematic
aspect of her presentation. She said
accountability is not optional.
Accountability
is not optional.
>> And Mr. Speaker, the honorable member,
honorable opposition leader scheduled to
speak after me and in my capacity
as the most senior law officer in this
land. I call upon him to explain to this
honorable house and by extension the
people of this country why he was
sanctioned by the office of foreign
assets control of the United States of
America.
Accountability
swam is not optional.
>> He must come here and account for the
people
>> and enforcement.
He must come here and tell us.
I call upon the honorable member to also
explain
why he's the subject of federal
indictments in the United States of
America on serious charges of money
laundering and fraud.
Accountability
is not optional.
Mr. Speaker, it is also common knowledge
that the honorable member is a the
subject of an extradition request.
>> It is also common knowledge that the
honorable member is strenuously
resisting the extradition process as
he's entitled to do. And let me say for
the record, Mr. speaker that as attorney
general of this cooperative republic, I
shall do as I have been doing everything
lawfully possible to ensure that he's
accorded all the safeguards that the law
and the constitution guarantee to him.
But I have to call upon him in my
capacity as a member of this house to
explain to the people of Guyana and this
house why he's unwilling to surrender to
go to the US face his accusers and
vindicate his innocence.
>> I call upon him to do so.
After all, honorable member Swetnam,
accountability is not optional.
>> That's correct.
>> The people of Guyana deserve those
explanations.
And Mr. Speaker,
>> also I'm not finished.
The Guyana Revenue Authority
has assessed the honorable opposition
leader and his businesses to be indebted
to the GR in what presumptively
are taxes evaded
in the sum of
190 billion Guyana dollars. Oh,
>> let me explain the magnitude of the sum.
>> Mr. Speaker, when I entered this
national assembly,
>> when I entered the National Assembly for
the first time in my first debate
20 years ago, the national budget of
this country was $9.5
billion.
the commute cart away two and a half
times that amount.
The whole national budget of the country
>> in my first budgetary debate as attorney
general in 2012.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> the national
>> Mr. Deputy Speaker.
>> Yes, honorable member.
>> Mr. Mr. I stand on two standing orders
here. 411 which requires the member to
confine his or her observations to the
subject on the discussion which is the
budget and standing order
and standing order for 16 which the
member was just imputing a proper motive
to the member of assembly. The issue the
issue that he was talking as relates to
GR it was before the court. They took it
from the court. So it's not the case
that it has been tried and he's so at
this point he is imputing.
>> Honorable member member the speaker had
given latitude a lot of latitude to
persons and so attorney general please
>> my my presentation is very very part of
the budget. I just said that two and a
half national budgets were taken. That's
right. And I'm going to say now that in
my first budgetary debate as attorney
general of Guyana in 2012, the national
budget was $192
billion. The entire country budget.
>> The subject of that audit is 190
billion. It's another
>> country's national budget
>> we are speaking about.
>> Where is the pundit?
>> He worried about a couple well worried
genuinely about Gau. But you know the
whole of Gau's budget allocation in this
in this budget is 13.4
billion.
The allegation over there is 15 times
that sum. It's 15 guys to go about jelly
with
>> where the honorable member
Nalini Nandrani Nandrani Singh made a
good point. She said that the budget has
about seven over $70 billion
of income tax in it. Great point. People
pay a lot of taxes in this country.
Check how many I want the people of
Guyana to divide
190 billion by 70 billion and you will
see how many times about three times
the size of all the taxes paid by the
people of Guyana for the year 2025
carted off. It's
>> 23 times the ministry budget.
>> Mr. Speaker, I wanted to ask the pandit
if you could find two cha
in the ramen to help explain these
atrocities that I'm speaking about or at
least one voice in the Bhagwad Gita why
he's not here. But Mr. Speaker,
these are serious and damning matters
and that is why we cannot play politics
with national matters.
You don't come to the national
parliament that what we were saying and
they were saying that we were being
political.
We are saying that this is the highest
representative institution in this
country. And when you come here, this is
the I I have to say it. I don't want to
sound immodest. This is the big league.
>> This is the big league.
>> If you are not qualified to represent
the people of this country, don't come
here.
>> Not don't come here. You dup them at
elections. We tried to educate them but
they were doomed.
>> Oh, Mr. Speaker, they have all been
drooped over there.
>> And then I wasn't go Mr. Speaker, you
know, I have not yet spoken
about the 50 million
US dollars and the 10,000 kilogram of
gold
that are the subject of the indictment.
I haven't spoken about that. And I
didn't plan to speak about the
Lamborghini. either. But then honorable
member Natasha Lewis
said in our presentation and I nearly
fell off my chair. She said in her
presentation, "I wish that the whole of
Guyana could drive Lamborghini like my
boss."
Well, she didn't realize that the
Lamborghini got the boss in all the
problem. She want the whole of the
country to be expedited. Your honor, I
we can't do that. body left.
>> So, Mr. Speaker, I thought that I
repudiate that for the public record.
So, Mr. Speaker, when the honorable
member comes,
the leader of the opposition, I hope
that we can get some answers in the
interest of transparency and
accountability.
>> Accountability
is not optional. Now I send you home
girl.
Mr. Speaker,
the rule of law
is the glue that keeps modern society
together.
In its absence, anarchy and lawlessness
prevail. Look around the world and you
will see where there is an absence of
the rule of law, there is social
disorder, there is civil unrest, there
is economic stagnation, and there's a
breakdown of civil society itself.
In a state of anarchy and lawlessness,
not a single project in this budget that
we are debating can be properly
accomplished and not a single measure
effectively implemented. The attorney
general, chambers, and the ministry of
legal affairs is a critical part of the
state's architecture that ensures that
there is adherence to the rule of law
and obedience to the constitution.
The ministry holds executive
responsibility in relation to the
country's administration of justice. It
is also the ministry, it is also this
ministry's responsibility to work with
other ministries and important agencies
of state in order to design and craft
the legislative agenda of Guyana. Most
if not all the main policies, plans and
projects of the government require a
statutory framework for their
implementation and proper regulation.
The attorney general chambers plays a
significant role in designing and
crafting this framework.
Mr. Speaker, from the year 2023 to 2025,
the attorney general chambers have been
engaged in two important projects.
Revising the laws of Guyana and updating
our our law reports.
Revising the law of Guyana, Mr. speaker
for the benefit of the viewers
and of course honorable members is
simply all the legislation that we are
passing at some point in time we have to
insert them in the consolidated volumes
of the law and reprint the laws to
reflect those insertions that is
revision. We last revised our laws in
2012 and we are doing a second one and I
am proud to inform the house that we
have completed revision of the laws from
2012 to 2022 December 31st and we will
be launching them shortly. Law reports
Mr. Speaker, many of us following the
many cases that are attracting public
attention in the press and they're
hearing about case law being quoted from
all over the world. Case law reports
allow easy access to past decided cases.
So if there is a case that going on in
Guyana and there's a particular legal
issue, I can draw from a a jurisdiction
with a similar legal system across the
Commonwealth, India, Africa, Australia,
Canada, England, the Caribbean, and I
can go to those countries reports and
pull down and find a case of similarity
which can apply. Well, the law in
Guyana, we also have a very long
um tradition of compiling our law
reports dating back to the mid 19th
century. But we have had gaps since. And
in this installment in 2012, I launched
10 reports from 1977 to 2007. And just
after these budget estimates are
completed, we are going to launch along
with the revision
law reports from 2008
to 2022 law reports of Guyana in which
you will find all the important cases
that we have decided in all the courts
of our country. a very important uh
institution for lawyers, judges and even
academically inclined people. Mr.
Speaker, since the year 1996
under the presidency of the great Dr.
The Cherry Jagen Guyana has been
canvasing at the Council of Legal
Education and elsewhere for permission
to establish on these shores a regional
law school in the year 20 and of course
we have failed abysmally over the last
few years.
Honorable members will recall
that my predecessor
Basil Williams,
>> the honorable,
>> he went ahead and he turned the sud.
He made a front page of the paper made
progress.
>> He named the law school.
>> He made progress,
>> but he never got permission from the
lawful authorities to construct the law
school.
>> So it turned up to be a dupe. It turned
up to be a sham.
>> Anyhow, Mr. Speaker,
In 2022 at a cabinet meeting, his
excellency Dr. Muhammad Fanali said,
"AG, go and let us get that law school
done." And I am proud to announce that
under Dr. President Muhammad Fanali, we
secure the permission of council in
September 2025 for the construction of a
regional law school in Guyana. So far we
have already cleared identified and
cleared 8 acres of land at campus Tine
of UG and in this budget we have the
first capital injection and during the
year 2026
we will begin the construction of a law
school in Guyana.
>> It is going to be a regional law school.
It will attract students from across the
Caribbean and of course it will provide
cheap and accessible legal education to
our own guinea.
This is not only an academic institution
but it is an economic venture because
people of the Caribbean will come here.
They will have to live. They will have
to find accommodation. They will have to
board lodge and eat and will benefit
from those investments.
>> Mr. Speaker,
um
the legal affairs ministry and the
attorney general chambers is also
responsible for representing the state
of Guyana both in Guyana and
internationally.
And as is public knowledge, the attorney
general chambers coordinates with the
office of the president and the foreign
affairs ministry in assembling and be
responsible for our representation
at the international court of justice in
the arbitral award matter between Guyana
and Venezuela. And Mr. Speaker, I am
pleased to inform the House that on the
27th of January, 2026,
all the parties in that case were
notified by the court that the hearings
on the merits of the case will open on
Monday the 4th of May 2026 and a
detailed schedule for the hearings will
be communicated shortly.
Mr. Speaker, during the tenure of the
APNU in government, they ran up debts,
attracted liabilities,
and put us in all sorts of problems
across the globe.
>> They took our rice from our rice farmers
and millers and they sold it 7 million
US of it in Panama and never bothered to
collect payment. We had to engage at the
level of his excellency the president.
>> We engaged through the ministry of
agriculture
>> through the attorney general chambers
and the foreign affairs ministry. And
only in 2025 we were able to secure
payment. And the Minister of
Agriculture, my distinguished brother,
who unfortunately
has a personal um problem right now,
distributed the proceeds to our rice
farmers and rice millers.
>> Honorable Attorney General, you you're
in last 5 minutes.
>> I have last
>> five minutes. Mr. Speaker, I have so
much more to say.
Mr. Speaker, we have been building
the legal affairs ministry also has
executive responsibility over the
administration of justice in this
country. The administration of justice
is one of the most crucial institutions
in any democracy. It is to this
institutions that the people turn for
enforcement of their legal rights,
constitutional freedoms and resolution
of their disputes. This institution also
ensures the prosecution and trial of
criminal offenses. Mr. Spe, Mr. Speaker,
access to justice before an independent
judiciary is the suor of the rule of law
and a democratic society. Our government
continues to invest in the
administration of justice building out
cour houses right across the length and
breadth of Guyana. In 2024, we open
courts, magistrates courts at Port
Kaituma, Mahayika, Madia, Mabaruma,
Friendship, a children court at Charity,
and a mental health court at Bartika and
the Anna Regina Magistrate's Court. In
2026, we have many more courts that will
be are under construction and will be
opened. Mr. Speaker, we also en invest
in the judiciary in ensuring that they
have personnel as well as the
institutional capability, technological
capability to manage their case load.
And today I am pleased to announce that
at almost every level of the judiciary
accepting the magistrate's court for the
time being, the high court, the full
court, the court of appeal and the CCJ,
the entire litigation process is now
electronic and paperless. Electronic and
paperless. And we are working to bring
that to the magistrate's court as well.
Mr. Speaker, we have a long line of
legislation in our legislative agenda
slated for this year. We have the
developmental bank fund bill, Ghana
natural gas bill, the company's bill,
evidence bill, depreciation assets sale
bill, a trust bill, rehabilitation of
offenders bill, judge alone trial bill,
alternative sentencing bill, business
name registration bill, road safety
amendment bill, national heritage
preservation bill, and Mr. Speaker, I
have two or three more pages. which I'll
circulate for honorable members.
>> Mr. Speaker, it is our this ministry
that also
holds the responsibility for Guyana's
AML CFT sector and Mr. Speaker, that
sector ensures not only we guard against
money laundering type offenses as my
distinguished sister, the honorable
minister of home affairs spoke so
elegantly and eloquently about. But we
ensure that our financial systems are
protected from contaminants emanating
from illicit means and illicit
activities. And Mr. Speaker, I want to
report here that we went to the CFATF
which is the governing body that has to
assess us and examine our systems,
examine our laws, examine our
institutional framework and examine our
performance. And they assessed us over a
nearly one-year period and we scored the
highest in the independent
English-speaking Caribbean. We are to
prepare now, Mr. speaker for another
round of evaluation scheduled to take
place next year. I'll be bringing a slew
of bills to this house, Mr. Speaker, to
meet new and evolving and emerging um
requirements that we have to satisfy at
the international and global level. Mr.
Speaker,
unfortunately, I have much more to say,
but I can say we'll have to engage
outside of the House to bring the nation
up to speed with all the developments
taking place in the sector. I close, Mr.
Speaker, by lending my most humble and
but solid support the budget 2020 2026
as we continue to build Guyana, beautify
Guyana, modernize Guyana, and secure the
future of all Gyanes. Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
>> Thank you very much, Honorable Attorney
General and Minister of Legal Affairs.
Just setting some of the record
straight. We're pulling up all the
verbatim records for the contentious
issues raised. And to the honorable
member, Mr. Jordan, I did heir in saying
I have an update on our late member of
parliament. My apologies.
And now for the honorable member, chief
whip for the opposition, the honorable
member, Mr. Tita Sarabo Hi.
Mr. Speaker,
I rise to make my contribution
to the budget 2026 debate.
>> Everybody go,
>> but
>> permit me first, Mr. Speaker, to take a
few minutes to deal with some statements
that I must address at the onset.
Mr. Speaker, the honorable member before
me that spoke before me spoke about Dr.
Walter Rodney and all that has
transpired. Now, I don't need to defend
the PNC. I think they're quite capable
of defending themselves.
But if I can recall during that same
process, there was a gentleman that was
asked to come back to this country
because apparently he was the person, if
I can call his name, Skip Roberts, who
had all the information on what
transpired and was supposed to give the
main evidence as to what transpired. And
for some reason, they put him up in a
hotel for 6 days. He was never actually
brought to testify. And this was under
the PPP. So the question is why? If they
had all the answers and had all the
evidence, why they did not ensure that
he came and gave the evidence?
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> absolutely inaccurate.
>> I also don't understand why the minister
of legal affairs has an issue with all
gandies driving Lamborghinis.
I would think that in this fastest
growing economy with GY doing better
based on what the minister of finance is
saying that you would want the gy to get
to a point where they can actually
afford Lamborghinis in this country.
>> Mr. Speaker,
any reasonable and intelligent person
would prefer a comedian
>> than accept a government, a government,
any government that repeatedly elevates
individuals facing serious and widely
reported allegations of sexual
misconduct, domestic violence, sexual
child exploitation and other grave wrong
the um wrongdoings
to ministerial office.
What is even more troubling is the
silence of those in that government, any
government, who sit alongside him, fully
aware of these allegations and countless
accusations of sexual harassment and
other forms of intimidation
and present themselves in this honorable
house as though they are the paragonss
of virtue.
Mr. Speaker, you would expect a
three-term member of parliament, a
twotime minister and cabinet member to
come to this house with something of
substance
>> that would contribute meaningfully to a
body debate.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> I have long held the view that neither
time nor experience automatically
matures into wisdom.
>> One may simply repeat the same errors
for years. In this case, three terms as
a member of parliament, and yet he is
being applauded by those who have little
interest in honest counsel
and even less concern for humility.
When such affirmation, Mr. speaker
replaces reflection.
Arrogance and tom foolery often go
unnamed. Mr. Speaker,
hence we are graced with the same
flamboyant rhetoric being bellowed like
a primadona starring in an inferiority
complex opera show
>> and perhaps Mr. Speaker, when one is
still striving to justify the
inefficiencies of the past, it is
unrealistic to expect anything
marketkedly different in the present. So
for the rest of the 13th parliament, I'd
like to say to the honorable member,
sing on Padona. Sing on. Maybe one day
they will provide the help you need to
compensate for the obvious lack.
>> Mr. Speaker,
as I sat and listened to the honorable
member last evening
doing his utmost to ensure his masters
were pleased, the only words that come
to mind were, "Emancipate yourself from
mental slavery." None but ourselves can
free our mind.
Mr. Speaker, after listening to such an
abysmal attempt at justifying praising
someone who has caused you such harm, I
now understand why the other honorable
member said, "If you can be bought by
someone, you can be bought by anyone."
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> the honorable John Warel
>> ought to be guided by the very word he
professes to the members of his pew.
>> Second Timothy 3:16 and 17 tells us all
scripture is inspired by God and is
useful to teach us what is true and to
make us realize what is wrong in our
lives. It corrects us when we are wrong
and teaches us to do what is right.
>> Mr. Speaker, the word should convict the
honorable bishop.
He must not enter this house behaving
like the serpent who deceived Eve into
believing a simple bite would open her
eyes.
This member presides over the ministry
with the largest budget allocation year
after year, Mr. speaker.
>> Yet producing some of the poorest
quality of work year after year,
>> year after year.
>> This minister holds the record for the
most repairs to completely completed
works in the shortest span of time.
>> Almost every project he touches requires
immediate remediation.
Mr. Speaker,
>> soon we will need a specific line item
in the budget titled Bishop's Repairs.
Perhaps perhaps, Mr. Speaker,
>> perhaps the honorable member should seek
deliverance. It might just save the
taxpayers some money.
As for the honorable member Jacobs,
>> honorable member Jacobs,
>> during his maiden presentation,
>> he claimed to feel like a veteran.
>> I must agree he sounded like a veteran.
Mr. Speaker, specifically an old PPP
groom campaign presenter regurgitating
tired punchlines. Mr. speaker.
>> Then came the pomposity,
the gloating over his title as minister.
That, Mr. Speaker, is a fundamental
problem on that side of the house.
>> They view high office as a status of
entitlement that allows them to lord
over others
>> rather than an office of service to the
people.
>> Servant leadership, Mr. Speaker, is
clearly a concept they have yet to
grasp.
I will move on. Mr. Speaker,
>> Mr. Speaker, allow me to congratulate
the leader of win,
>> the honorable member, Mr. Aidin
Muhammad, on his newly elected position
as leader of the opposition.
Congratulations to my fellow MPs of win
who shattered all expectations and
together we did the work to become the
first party in just 3 months to take the
position of the main opposition in
Guyana's parliament.
>> In just over three months, Mr. Speaker,
>> a political movement that many dismissed
and clearly underestimated has emerged
as the main opposition in this national
assembly holding 16 seat.
>> What was most underestimated, Mr.
Speaker,
>> was not a party, but the will of the
people.
From region one to region 10, thousands
of gy made it clear that they no longer
accept politics as usual. After almost
60 years of independence, they are
demanding something fundamentally
different. Not louder speeches, not just
large budgets, but leadership that meets
people where they are and responds to
their real needs.
The people have chosen a different
direction. They have chosen leadership
that treats all gy equally, that
believes this agreement can be
principled and respectful and holds that
the wealth of this nation should never
have to pass through party loyalty
before citizens can have access to it.
Mr. Speaker,
I further wish to congratulate all other
members of parliament on their elections
to this house.
I pray that we take the oath we took
seriously and work in the best interests
of the people of this country.
To the public servants who worked in
every ministry and agency to help this
budget put this budget together. I thank
you.
Mr. Speaker,
for four days this house has been asked
to accept asurances instead of answers
with water. We have listened to the
minister with responsibility for finance
insist that spending $1.5 trillion
automatically places people first.
Yet after 4 days of debate, M ministers
on the government side have struggled to
clearly explain how this budget improves
the lives of ordinary GY in a
substantive way.
What we have witnessed, Mr. speaker is
an overflow of arrogance
whether the government accepts it or
not. Figures provided by GCOM show that
win represents 109,000
approximately 109,000 GY voters. Those
gy sent us here to ask questions. They
sent us here to demand clarity. They
sent us here to represent their
interest.
Arrogance in this house does not
diminish us, Mr. Speaker. Arrogance in
this house does not diminish us, Mr.
Speaker. It diminishes parliament itself
and by extension it diminishes every gy
who deserves respect. Every gy who
deserve proper answers and serious
engagement on budget 2026.
Mr. Speaker, permit me to place on the
record a matter that goes to the core of
parliamentary standards, member safety,
and the dignity of this honorable house.
Mr. Speaker, it was mentioned earlier, I
won't call names, that an incident
occurred involving a government minister
in which sexually degrading and
threatening language was directed at a
female member of this assembly.
>> I dealt with that already.
So, please
>> I was right here. Thank you very much,
>> Mr. Speaker.
>> The conduct, if I may say so. I wouldn't
say what it is represents what I believe
is a fundamental breach and I hope as
you indicated that you've dealt with it
and it is dealt with in a manner
that addresses decisively the issues and
concerns that were spoken about.
>> Let me now turn my attention to the
budget.
>> Mr. Speaker, it is always impressive
theater
>> when a government comes to this
honorable house.
>> What criminal movement
>> boasting of the biggest budget ever
delivered over 6 hours followed by self-
congratulation for presenting the
largest budget over the longest period
of time.
Year after year, Mr. Speaker, the
expectation is that ministers entrusted
with spending over $1 trillion will come
to this house
will come to this house and clearly
outline what the money will be spent on.
What gaps have been identified? What
problems are being remedied? What
monitoring monitoring and evaluation has
informed any shift in policy direction?
But size and duration do not equal
substance. Mr. Speaker, we are
repeatedly told that this is a people
first budget. The obvious question
therefore arises.
Which people are actually being put
first.
>> Mr. Speaker, let us examine how they are
putting people first.
Yesterday
my colleague who did an excellent job in
opening honorable Odessa Primus
spoke about the culture industry
being a part of that industry for most
of her life.
She did an excellent job identifying
some of the concerns in that ind
industry. one of which was the forgotten
legends of the cultural industry.
But Mr. Speaker, the minister came after
her and instead of listening to what she
had to say, given her firsthand
experience, just decided to throw it one
side. A comedian doesn't know anything
about culture.
>> But let's read what
>> Let's read
>> what was said.
Let us read what was said. I came across
an article on Facebook
>> that I will also send to the honorable
speaker.
The article was written by not other
than an Arjun.
Miss Annet Arjun writes, "Odessa Primus'
presentation hit a nerve because all
that she said about us not honoring our
heroes while they are alive, much less
when dead, were spot on." When Dave was
alive and we drove across the Deerara
Bridge and saw the new roundabout being
constructed, I reached out to the
minister and it and asking if a statue
of Dave with a guitar could have been
considered given he was born in region
three and the relevance of Blade of
Grass among his other major
contributions. That did not happen.
Since his passing one and a half year
ago, I have advocated tirelessly for his
legacy to be preserved to no avail to
date.
>> Only recently I shared that I hope this
will happen in my lifetime.
>> The question in Dave's song, where are
our heroes Caribbean? Reansered in
Guyana.
>> This Mr. Speaker, from the wife of a gy
icon,
>> this Mr. Speaker,
>> no respect.
>> Dave Martin,
>> who has made songs that resonate with us
until today.
>> This, Mr. Speaker, a song that we use at
the beginning of our parliament every
sitting.
>> This is how they put people first. Mr.
Speaker,
>> that's right.
>> You are good enough to be used, but not
good enough to be honored.
The budget relies heavily on
announcements, Mr. Speaker. It relies
heavily on projections and repetition,
but is strikingly light on outcomes,
strikingly light on timelines and
accountability.
We are told what will have happen over
time, but rarely when, rarely how, or
for whom. Governance is not measured,
Mr. speaker by how long a speech lasts
or how large a number sounds. Governance
is measured by whether policies
materially improves people's lives.
Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker,
this budget does contain measures aimed
at the poor and vulnerable.
I won't pretend that it doesn't. But
those measures do not lift people out of
poverty. They manage it.
What we are witnessing is not poverty
alleviation, Mr. Speaker. It is poverty
preservation.
Cash transfers
for struggling households are delayed,
diluted, and stretched across 5-year
timelines. while other policy decisions
such as tax concessions for double cab
vehicles are immediately implemented.
That contrast tells us everything about
the priorities of the poverty
preservation plan.
Selective urgency is not good
governance. It is political
prioritization.
Mr. Speaker, when we examine this budget
holistically, the picture worsens.
There is no provision for salary
increases. It's not stated. I guess it
will come at some point.
>> Instead, we hear of a modest adjustment
to the income tax threshold, translating
into only a few,000 more in monthly
take-home pay for a limited group.
Another showing, Mr. Speaker, of the
poverty preservation plan.
This exposes a harsh truth, Mr. Speaker.
Too many gy earn so little that they
cannot rent a modest home. They cannot
pay the utilities. They cannot buy
groceries. They cannot save and live
with dignity.
If members on the other side, Mr.
Speaker, believe that life is improving.
Believe that the minimum wage is good
enough. I challenge them to live for 6
months on the national minimum wage.
I challenge them to live for 6 months on
the national minimum wage. Use public
transportation daily. Come out of your
praos.
>> Rent a mo modest two-bedroom home.
>> Rely solely on public health care.
Public health care. Pay utilities. Buy
groceries and attempt to save on that
minimum wage. Mr. Speaker, then return
to this house and tell the nation how
well people are truly doing.
>> That may be the only way, Mr. speaker
that those on the other side of the
house would come to understand that what
they have been producing as a budget
year after year is nothing more than a
poverty preservation plan.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> the government boasts of hospitals and
facilities,
but buildings without adequate staffing,
buildings without equipment and supplies
impose hidden costs on citizens of
people.
>> When ambulances take hours to arrive,
Mr. Speaker, when families are forced to
pay privately, when preventable
tragedies occur, this is not
development, Mr. Speaker. This is
governor's failure.
>> Mr. Speaker, I'll go off spiff for a
while.
>> On January 13, 2026,
my 100year-old grandfather passed away
at home.
>> At 12:50,
I called the ambulance.
Which one?
>> At 1:30, I call the ambulance.
>> At 2:00, I called the ambulance.
>> Who?
>> They said they had none.
>> Then, Mr. Speaker,
We called the police after he passed.
The police said they're waiting for the
ambulance.
When the ambulance shows up, then they
will show up.
We decided then to get a private doctor
to pronounce him dead.
This is a reflection
of how much they put the people first.
when families are forced to pray
privately. Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Speaker,
on Monday, the honorable Sheriff Duncan,
he questioned the Minister of Human
Services
about the care that they would have
given to little Sariah's relatives
after the tragedy that happened.
And I listened to her responses.
Mr. Speaker, what got me was the fact
that two weeks ago I actually went to
the family just to check in,
just to see how they were coping.
And in listening to what has transpired
and hearing from the minister,
there was something that was missing.
Mr. Speaker,
the victims that were still in the
hospital that are have survived that
incident
are currently paying privately out of
their own pockets
at a private hospital locally and one
overseas.
No help from the government.
>> Wow.
>> Wow.
the
>> the the family of Sarah
apparently who had a little while before
this whole incident. I had applied for a
house lot.
Never got one. But when this whole
tragedy happened and everybody was
coming to their door, somebody said,
"Ask about the house lot. Ask about the
house lot. See if you can get it." So
she decided to see what would happen.
>> She was eventually told that she would
get
a house. She would have to pay $5
million for it and the government will
just help with $500,000.
This is someone who is working at the
Starbrook market
who can they're trying their best to
survive on the income that they're
getting
dealing with the tragedy
and in the midst of their grief they're
told that they need added expenses
to deal
with everything that is happening.
This is how they're apparently putting
people first.
>> Mr. Speaker,
even where development banks, youth
grants and incentives are mentioned,
access is not always perceived as even.
Too many GE believe rightly or wrongly
that political affiliation determines
opportunity. I have heard too many
stories of citizens being told that to
resolve issues or access contracts, they
must first go to Freedom House and
pledge allegiance. I cannot be the only
one that has heard those stories.
>> If that is not the epitome of party
paramount, I do not know what is.
>> PNC,
>> Mr. Speaker, a system where benefits are
perceived to flow by favor rather than
fairness is not democracy. It is
governance by discretion and fear. Is
this the one Guyana that is being
promised? Mr. Speaker, I can't speak for
you, Mr. Speaker, but I it came across
to me as a fast road to dictatorship.
>> Mr. Speaker, budget 2026 is not a
failure because Guyana lacks resources.
It is a failure because of how power is
exercised.
When governance is arrogant. When
poverty is just being managed instead of
reduced. When relief is delayed but
privilege is expedited. And when
accountability is treated as hostility.
No amount of spending can rescue a
budget. Mr. Speaker, and it is on that
broader failure of coordination,
accountability, and institutional
respect that I now turn
Mr. Speaker, good governance is not
measured by speeches, by workshops, or
glossy commissioning ceremonies. It is
measured by institutions at work, laws
that are enforced, and accountability
that applies equally to all, especially
those entrusted with public power.
>> Mr. Speaker, there is a pattern that
cuts across multiple sectors of our
country. a persistent failure of
governance rooted not in the absence of
rhetoric, Mr. Speaker, but in the
absence of effective systems to prevent
and address what I call corruption.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> Mr. Speaker,
corruption is often narrowly understood
as a direct misappropriation of state
funds.
But internationally,
corruption
is treated more broadly as the
accumulation of wealth or benefits that
cannot be reasonably explained by lawful
income arising from the abuse or misuse
of entrusted authority.
That misuse, Mr. Speaker, does not
reveal itself only in missing money.
It reveals itself in weak oversight, in
poor outcomes, in compromised
procurement and the normalization of
impunity.
This house must confront an
uncomfortable truth. Mr. Speaker,
Guyana's legal and institutional
framework is ill equipped to deal with
modern corruption risks,
particularly those involving unexplained
or disproportionate wealth.
We rely heavily on an outdated criminal
law offenses act, Mr. Speaker, which
requires the state to prove a specific
criminal act beyond reasonable doubt
before action can be taken. That
framework does not recognize corruption
as a standalone offense.
It does not trigger investigation when
assets are grossly disproportionate to
known income. It does not compel
forensic scrutiny of lifestyle and
holdings. In short, Mr. Speaker, our
laws punish misconduct only after it is
proven, but provide little capacity to
detect or deter corruption in real time.
>> Mr. Speaker, we have reached a point
where serious public concerns about the
accumulation of wealth by public
officials, Mr. Speaker, are met not with
independent investigations. Honorable
member,
>> Mr. Speaker, you have ruled over and
over for the last parliament and this
parliament that we must use the word
corruption. The cor the gent the min
member is using word corruption. There's
no such word in the dictionary. It is a
particular bastardization of the word
corruption to try to get away with
saying what you're saying which you have
not disallowed. I'm therefore asking
that that all be removed. It can't be
one set of rules for one people and not
another for the other.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you honorable minister.
>> Honorable minister was standing on
standing order 4 to14
>> I am telling you
>> and honorable member.
>> Yes Mr. Speaker
>> uh you provided your definition.
>> Yes Mr. Speaker.
>> Right.
>> Yes Mr.
uh I don't know English language much
but I know the continuous use of certain
words migrate into definitions.
>> Okay.
>> Uh I don't rely on Wikipedia.
>> Okay.
>> But I just use BRB
>> since around
1989.
>> Yes, Mr. Speaker.
>> Right.
>> And mom over shoulder when we used to
use dial up. They have now migrated but
be careful how you impute.
>> Understood. Mr.
>> Good.
>> Thank you.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> Mr. Speaker, we have reached a point
where serious public concerns about the
accumulation of wealth by public
officials are met not with independent
investigation, but with political
reassurance.
But explanations, even if sincerely
offered, Mr. Speaker, are not a
substitute for institutional review.
Mr. Speaker,
no one at the helm
of any government should be placed in
the position of assessor, validator, and
final authority over the financial
affairs of members of the cabinet.
>> Correct.
>> That is not how checks and balances
work, Mr. Speaker. In a properly
governed state, allegations are assessed
by independent bodies, clear legal
standards, and transparent processes.
not resolved through personal
confidence. The core problem, Mr.
Speaker, here is not whether
explanations exist. The problem is that
there is no sufficiently empowered
system to test them.
The consequences of weak governance, Mr.
Speaker, are not theoretical. They are
tangible, expensive, and deeply
damaging.
A Guyana $6.6 6 billion 75 bed regional
hospital commissioned in July 2025 and
described as state-of-the-art is now
within 6 months experiencing flooding
due to roof failure.
>> To date, there has been no publicly
disclosed forensic engineering
assessment, no procurement audit and no
clear statement of accountability.
>> Mr. Speaker,
infrastructure failure of this magnitude
does not by itself establish corruption.
However, the absence of investigation
where public funds are clearly
compromised is itself a governance
failure.
Globally, environments that lack strong
safeguards against corruption often
experience public works failures due to
inflated contracts, compromised
supervision. weakened standards and
postcomp completion impunity.
>> Honorable member, you have five minutes
to conclude, but you already
had the leniency of four extra minutes
than your original.
>> Thank you.
>> So, you can conclude.
>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
>> Before I'll have to engage in some
coveruption of the standing orders.
>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
>> So, Mr. Speaker,
So, Mr. Speaker, the issue before this
honorable house is not whether the
government speaks about accountability.
The issue is whether it has built the
systems necessary to prevent to detect
and address any issues that arise. When
public funds are spent, when power is
exercised, when projects fail, and when
serious concerns arise, who
investigates? Mr. Mr. Speaker, who
enforces, Mr. Speaker, and who is
ultimately held accountable? At present,
Mr. Speaker, those answers remain
disturbingly unclear.
Guyana does not suffer from a lack of
laws on paper. It suffers from laws
without teeth, institutions without
independence, and accountability without
consequences.
If you are serious about governance, Mr.
Speaker, particularly in a resourcerrich
state, then explanations must give way
to investigations,
asurances must give way to enforcement,
and political discretion must give way
to constitutional obligation.
Until that happens, Mr. Speaker, we will
continue to speak about governance while
practicing something far less worthy of
the name.
Mr. Speaker, Guyana is a signatory to
the United States Convention Against
Corruption. I hope I can say that. And
the Interamerican Convention Against
Corruption. Those instruments do not
merely encourage moral behavior. Mr.
Speaker, they require states to
establish effective systems to prevent,
to detect, and to sanction corruption
and abuse of office. That is what it's
there for. On paper, we comply, Mr.
Speaker.
But, Mr. Speaker, I want to give us an
example.
We have
the in the integrity commission's act
where declarations are filed but seldom
verified.
Wealth is declared but rarely
interrogated.
Oversight exists but without
consequence.
This is not an argument of presumption
of guilt. It's an argument for
functional accountability.
The Integrity Commission collects
declarations, Mr. Speaker, but lacks
prosecutoal power. Investigations depend
on referrals and discretion.
>> The Latima House principles, Mr.
Speaker, which Guyana subscribes to
require that accountability mechanisms
be independent of executive influence
and properly resourced and capable of
acting without fear or favor.
But article 17 of the
act, Mr. Speaker, violates that
principle by design.
>> It says that when the executive is
empowered to review declarations,
form conclusions, and publicly express
satisfaction,
oversight ceases to be neutral. It
becomes a politicized clearance. That is
what article 17 does,
Mr. Speaker. Article 17 says it empowers
the president, Mr. Speaker, to access
declarations of persons in public life
and to cause inquiries to be made into
their accuracy. That's what it does. But
at the level of the executive to be in
charge of this act, I think there is a
clear violation of the Latimore House
principles and should be looked into.
>> Mr. Speaker, there is a further danger.
Once governance depends on who occupies
high office rather than on neutral
systems, accounting ability becomes
personalitydriven.
Today's executive may act responsibly,
tomorrow's may not. And good governance
is designed to survive both.
Good governance, Mr. Speaker, is not
only about money, it's about
institutions that work. Which brings me
back now to Jacob.
The current impass at GCOM, Mr. Speaker,
is another manifestation of governance
failure.
Not because the law is absent, but
because constitutional silence has been
filled with power struggles rather than
prudence.
>> Mr. Speaker,
on one hand, the chair has asserted the
authority to no longer recognize
opposition nominated commissioners. On
the other hand, commissioners rely on
the strictest legal interpretation. The
result is paralysis. The work of the
commission is stalled. Public public
confidence continues to erode.
What is the government what does the
government intend to do about this? Mr.
Speaker, as I wrap up, I will say my
last few words.
>> Mr. we win are here to represent
all gy from regions 1 through 10 without
exception and without qualification. Our
parliamentary team reflects the full
spectrum of GY society across regions,
backgrounds, generations, and lived
experiences. That diversity, Mr.
Speaker, is not cosmetic. It informs how
we approach governance, how we approach
accountability, how we approach national
development, and how we approach the
people. We do not speak for a select
group, a favored few or a politically
convenient constituency. We speak for
the teacher in Maburuma, the farmer in
Burbese, the fisher in Esqibbo, the
nurse in Lynen, and the small business
owner in Georgetown. And it is precisely
because we represent all gaes that we
will continue to raise issues of
governance, issues of institutional
integrity, and the proper use of public
resources. Not as an act of division,
but as an act of duty. Representation,
Mr. Speaker, is not about rhetoric or
ownership. It is about responsibility
and we intend to discharge that
responsibility fully, fearlessly and in
the interest of the entire nation. I
thank you.
Thank you very much opposition chief
whip the honorable member Mr. Bus Sarabu
Holly Holly. And now for our honorable
minister
of parliamentary affairs and governance,
the honorable member, Miss Gil Shira,
the only person here since 1992
unbroken.
Congratulations, Minister.
Is that one?
Oh yeah.
>> Yeah. Thank you very much. Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I stand before you
to support this budget
as a proud gy woman,
a very proud gy woman. as a grandmother
and a mother and the member of my party,
the People's Progressive Party and
successive People's Progressive Party
civic governments.
I am proud to see my country move from
what it was in the 70s and 80s to what
it is today.
I am proud to have live a to have lived
long enough
to have seen what is happening to my
country to see the change to see the
transformation
to see the improvements in the quality
of our people's lives.
I don't want to say to the younger
generation, you weren't there, you don't
know. But you can't say ignorance is not
an excuse for what happened to this
country.
The honorable David Hines, he's running
away. Are we gone?
>> Because I was going to refer to him,
but I still will refer to him.
>> I would like to have said it to his
face.
David Hines knows what the 70s and 80s
and 90s were like in this country. He
knows what Buckton was like with no
water, no electricity and latins. He
knows what the squatting areas were like
where people walked in mud up to their
knees with one latin for 100 people and
no water.
>> And I could go on.
The poverty in this country was stuck,
palpable.
>> We talk about quasha poor. Do we know
what quashaore is? We had quashaore in
this country. It is the worst form of
malnutrition when children belly get
swell up and hair get red.
>> I can't claim that happened to me.
Right.
>> But but berry berry all these things 57%
of the children of Guyana by 1985
were suffering from malnutrition
>> and severe malnutrition. You didn't have
to go into all the interior areas. Just
go to lodge in them long yards. Go in
the long yards. What some places are
like Albertton calls Y
white yards and see children of Guyana
of different ethnicity. But in
Georgetown in Lodge was Afrogyny German
starving,
no water. And I must be emotional about
it because if you don't know where you
come from, you don't know how far you
reach and you don't know where you're
going. And so, Mr. Speaker,
I have to make ap public apology to my
speaker minor
who was the minister of trade and
industry and commerce about 15 years ago
if I can't remember the exact date but
he had an expo and he put up this huge
panel drawing of what Sheriff Street
would look like in next year and it was
all these tall buildings and lights and
a wider road and I thought to myself,
what the devil is my karma doing? When
will we reach that? We were in we were
in debt. We didn't have money. We didn't
have uh what you call oil money. And I
thought, why the devil is my minister
and my colleague doing this? He's going
to raise people expectations. I
confessed publicly I was cynical even
then that I didn't didn't know how long
it would take us to get out of where we
were.
You know, I have listened, Mr. Speaker,
do MPs speak here? And while some people
can say they're new and they know, no
excuse.
I started as an MP in 1992 October when
you had some really powerful opposition
MPs.
former President Hoy, the famous Winston
Murray,
Derek Bernard for example,
Kenneth King, Derek Bernard, as I said,
Kenneth King, Faith Harding,
Deborah Baka, just to name a few who
when they debated debated substance,
>> they came with facts and dollars and
challenged you. They did their homework.
Now come here and tell some sad story
all the time. I could tell you some
really sad stories of the brutality I
saw as a minister of home affairs during
the crime wave of 2002 to 2006.
>> What happened to our children who were
murdered by the criminals in Luzan and
Barta
>> and you come here now looking
sanctimonious as if you know nothing
could butter melt in your mouth. Your
mouth could you butter could melt in
your mouth. Mr. Speaker,
you are elected as MPs. You come from
your parties and we know you all lose
seats,
right? And I go back to Mr. MP David
Hines. You see, I know him as David
Osborne.
>> I don't know him as David Hines.
>> But what I do know is that David Osborne
Hines or Osborne/Hines
has not lived in this country from the
1980s. And so I understand that he's in
a uh what would you call a time bubble
or time warp? He's still living sometime
in the 70s, right? He cannot appreciate
that this country has changed. It has
moved. It is transforming.
How could you
when you're seeing the transformation
going on not feel proud as a gy
whether you like the PPP or don't like
the PPP you vote for APN you vote for
win how could you not be proud to be g
at this time to see what is going on how
could you be how could you be s you're
not blind you're not visually impaired
>> you're not visually impaired
but You are intellectually
and politically and academically
>> you know jaundist absolutely ja this I
asked my friend Dr. Frank to help me if
I'm using that word right. You are
looking at the world through jaundice
eyes.
>> You cannot see progress because then it
would be to admit that things are
happening in Guyana and things are
changing and people's lives are
improved. You can't say that because you
opportunistically
get votes on this story about you know
leading people to suffer.
You know the level of opportunism at the
political level. You know my colleagues,
some of you young,
you better learn quickly the
responsibility of a politician and the
duty you have to the people to be honest
and to represent them honestly, not to
come up here with anecdotes about granny
so and so and auntie so and so when no
one can prove anything and no one says
you've had the permission of those
people to use their names.
You know, the level of anecdotes is
quite interesting. Um, Mr. Speaker,
you know, as again I said, I would
wanted Mr. Osman Hines to be here
because I want to remind him and I want
to say to you, go on YouTube. You're all
much more technologically advanced. Go
on YouTube and look for a film called
Time and Terror that was put out by the
Victor Horror Group and the WPA.
It gives you a visual of what Ghana was
like in the 1950s. So you don't have to
believe me. Go do your work. It is a
beautiful replication of what we
suffered in this country. Then go to
YouTube again and look up the Granada
television se movies, the documentaries
on the making of a prime minister in
1968 and Burnham does it again in 1973.
Go and look at those movies,
documentaries about how the gy people
were robbed of their right to choose
their representatives. And it went on
68, 73, 1980, 1985,
>> tried again for 1990, but
>> 1992 was a change. And then we come to
20 20 when again they tried it to thwart
the will of the people. When we look at
where Ghana was in ' 92, you know, if I
were in the PNC, which I will never be,
I would have gone when they won in 2012,
2015 and said, "Mayor Kulpa, we did all
these terrible things for 28 years when
we rigged the elections and put Guyana
back from one of the third highest
ranking countries in Latin American
Caribbe
664 to the lowest of the three countries
in 1992. 2, Haiti, Bolivia, and Guyana.
What happened in those periods? When you
destroy democracy, you take away the
will of the people, you bring the
working people down to zero. All the
things we did to fight against that.
Yeah, David was with us. But the problem
with the WPA and people like the
honorable member when they joined the
APNU that was the death nail for WPA
because they joined a coalition that
according to attorney general
and the commissioner commissioner of
commission inquiry report he read that
pointed to who was responsible for the
assassination of their leader.
So, and I I must say to you, APNU, I
feel awfully sorry for you. You know,
why don't you just call yourself PNC?
Cuz that's what you are.
>> That's correct.
>> I mean, seriously,
>> this this
masquerade this masquerade like you got
in a match costume. WPA guy in action.
What do you call action party? Some
Republican party. Some Some
clean about just come clean. You're the
People's National Congress.
>> You don't have any of the WP and stuff.
You don't have any of them. Those
parties are dead, dead, dead.
>> And so, Mr. Speaker,
I feel sorry for them because it's hard
to see old party go down the way it's
going down.
>> But, Mr. Speaker, you know, Mr. Speaker,
this is my 34th budget. And so, some
people may declare, well, it's time for
she to go. She been here too long.
That's okay with me.
>> That's okay with me
>> because I am proud to be part of the
process of the transformation of this
country when this house within the
government or outside the government
because in all honesty and when I was 24
years old, my family said to me, "What
the devil are you doing going back to
Guyana? there's nothing for you. And I
came back by myself as a young woman.
And
my mother many times asked me, "Gail,
Gail, Gail, come back to Toronto. Come
back. Come back. Live with us. You could
be a politician in Canada." And it
didn't because in my heart, I knew
Guyana could do better. I knew we could
make Guyana shine. I knew it. But it was
a long, long trail. And I'm so proud of
the young people that are behind me in
this on the government side. The young
MPs have joined us because it means we
have continuity.
>> We have continuity. We're not a bunch of
old people are fossilized and I ain't
fossilized yet. So you don't worry about
it.
>> But Mr. Speaker,
this budget I've heard people talk
about, you know, uh nothing here for the
poor people. And I see a the MP, what's
her name? Fei uh she spoke made a very
funny comment which I must respond to.
She said government side can't know what
poverty is as we all live in mansions
etc. And I thought I had to I was very
bewildered by that because there's a
member of this house who lives in a
palace and it ain't on the government's
side and who purchased in the last few
months or acquired sorry not purchased
acquired 25 vehicles
in the last in this since we started
this year and who has a fleet of
vehicles from before. So no one in the
government has a mansion nor those
number of vehicles. And so you must know
unless maybe maybe you haven't been
maybe I've been invited to you maybe
have been invited to visit the palace.
>> I hope you get an invitation so you can
see for yourself. Mr. Speaker,
the visuals of this country and even if
your heart is hard when you see the
Demar Harbor Bridge, when you go down
the roads when life is easier for our
people. But Mr. Speaker,
Then Mr. Speaker,
the issue of
a number of people have said on this
floor and in the social media from um
the different parties, the opposition
parties um team Muhammad has said both
on the floor and out in the social
media, it's sad that the government has
chose not to prioritize the people at
such a critical time when 58% of Gy live
in poverty and the cost of living has
skyrocketed.
APNU comes with the same line and and in
fact by the way APN and and win have a
lot of common themes
although they say they're different.
There is convenience convergence of the
views of APNO and AFC convergence. So
don't think they're two separate party
they're just wearing different colors
that's all. One is a going to be has
been and one thinks they're come come uh
what do you call Johnny come lately?
They'll both be tested by the people of
this country and tested over the next
five years. But Mr. Speaker,
this 58% that's been quoted, when you
got a little bit of knowledge and you
don't do your homework, you can flash
numbers around as if you are the most
knowledgeable person. First of all, it's
using a report that it dates to 2022 and
data on COVID time.
But all of those who quoted the 58% of
both sides, both opposition sides didn't
read the report properly.
You just read the quote the figure and
said, "Ah, got them. Now there's 58%."
Ain't that so right Jetta?
>> Isn't that what you did? The issue is
that Mr. Speaker, let us look at the
indicators of poverty.
What are used as indicators of poverty?
And let's see if your argument is right.
One of the indicators
is access to electricity.
Between 1992 and now, the majority of
people either have access to solar or to
electricity.
And so access is about it. The issue of
access to water. Mr. Speaker, in '92,
Georgetown, I not even going outside of
Georgetown. Georgetown, you had to fetch
water up and down. You had to fetch
water from a mile away. The water was
dirty. And yes, there were worms in it.
Today, 90 odd% of the population of
Guyana have access to clean water and
portable water. Villages that never had
water before, water systems that drink
from the river, including where
honorable member Miss Hastings comes
from. Who put in the water system in
Camearang? Is it PPP government in the
last government? And yet she said
nothing about no water in Camearang. She
didn't admit that.
>> But I know I know the honorable member
does not go home very often. She's
mostly in Georgetown.
>> We love you G. We love you.
>> I know. Thank you my dear. I love you
too when you behave.
>> Mr. Speaker, the other indicators if
you'll allow me is social capital.
you know what do what what how do you
judge the accumulation of wealth of
people's ability to purchase to use
their money to purchase so I said access
to services health and education water
electricity but there's some other areas
which are used for example in some
countries how many televisions how many
laptops how many computers well I'm
going to bring two to you to Cayana
>> the number of vehicles and types of
vehicles purchased
between 2021 and 2025.
Mr. Speaker, this is an indication of
people having more ability to spend to
buy. So when I compare it with the 20205
and 2020 figures, there are vast
difference exclus.
number of cars that were purchased in
Guyana
uh between 2021 and 2025
uh that totaled up to 80,551.
>> 80,551
in 2021 to 2025. So when people talk
about is only your friends and your
cronies and PPP people benefiting, you
mean these 80,000 is all PPP people?
Really? All them people driving on the
road with them cars because you know why
this happened when the app was here they
stopped the cars being older than 8
years old. Isn't that right?
>> They put more taxes on it and so people
didn't buy. So when you look at the
figures of 2015 to 2020 it reflects a
reaction to the taxes and ability to buy
because in the meantime 30 pe 30,000
people lost their jobs in that period.
That was before co
7,000 which were sugar workers. So
that's cars. Let's go to lries. So cars
is no longer in the 2025 period. 2026.
Cars in my day growing up as a child was
a luxury. Only the rich could have it
right David. Osborne.
>> I was born. Osborne is
>> and I was listening to you.
>> Thank you very much David. And so
honorable member. So
>> cars were were luxuries up to 15 years
ago. Cars were luxury up to 10 years
ago. Cars were luxuries. Let me give an
example and I asked my staff to forgive
me. When the ministry of parliamentary
affairs and I give them as an example,
the ministry of parliamentary affairs in
government form, there were two cars. My
car is a minister and my secretary's
car.
Four years later with 22 staff,
we have four people who don't have a car
who don't have a car. of the 22 and of
that 20 the four two are motorcycles.
You cannot you have to appreciate what
is going on in the society. You close
your eyes
but you have to appreciate what is
happening to our people. Our people are
getting opportunities. The taxes are
relieved. We're not putting taxes on.
We're giving people space.
Not like it was when the PNC had the
state control the economy.
Not when we went through all these
period of 92 right up to 2011 to deal
with debt and not having enough money
and this was long before oil came in.
Mr. Speaker, lorries
imagine what do lorries represent.
We have between 21 and 2025 16,748
more business more activities more
movement of materials more whether it's
uh farm products or sand or materials or
whatever that's reflection in the period
of 2015 to 2020 it was approximately
5,000 so sorry 4,000 so we have 16,000
lorries being bought in this period and
licensed
Pickups. Pickups are used in
construction and a whole range of
things. Again, the period 2021 to 2025,
8,11.
Excavators. Again, an indication of
activity, economic activity, drainage,
roads, air strips, buildings.
This was uh 2021 2025 3,280.
Again, indication of economic
activities, tractors, act indicator of
agricultural activities 2,666
in the same period. Tractors 2388 in the
same period. These are indicators
that are used in terms of social capital
to look at the level of poverty in a
country. Do people have the power, the
ability to purchase, to get loans to do
these things? The example of the
vehicles is an example. Yes, I see Mr.
Mr. Wines talking about traffic and
strain and stress. He lived in the
United States for the last 40 odd years.
He must know what strain and stress is
particularly for a black man in the
United States. He must know that. Mr.
Speaker, let me go to the next area of
um of of uh what you call indicators.
And this is the issue of the internet.
again and cell phones. These are another
if you look at the same report I'll
quoting a 58% they don't have figures on
Guyana. They admitted in the report that
the reports for Venezuela and Guyana
they went back to old data but still you
come out and parade 58%. I want to
remind you in ' 92 the World Bank report
did a report on Guyana's poverty. We
were 61% of our people live before below
the poverty line. And in those days it
was a dollar US a day.
So be careful. Be careful when you get
to be so opportunistic. Anything that
makes Guyana look bad, you jump on.
It'll come back and haunt you.
Mobile subscribers.
Between 20 um 2015 and 2020
there were
652,338
subscribers.
This was
98,000 sorry total difference between
2020 sorry 2015 and 2020 was 98,819
more cell phone users between 2021 and
2025
the number of cell phone subscribers
went up to 1 million
12,35
a difference in 2021
to 2025 of 313,498
subscribers
>> in between 2021 and 2025
>> where people finding the money from
>> I remember in the parliament quite a
while ago when we were talking about
some of the changes an MP from the
opposition side of course happened when
NPN in that day said it's drug money
when we were advocating the housing
program we were told all them people get
them house lot is drug people what at
level of disrespect
that ordinary gy and gy cannot
respectfully and honestly get a house at
and build. I want to remind
the opposition I deal with you as a
combined opposition because as far as
I'm concerned there's no difference in
your views really the issue is that in
I've heard comments said said that oh we
didn't have money we didn't have oil
money when they were in government 2015
to 2020 I want to remind them
when they won the government in 2015
to 2020 20, but they didn't win it up
after December 2018, of course, because
of no conference motion, but
they
took the the government that was left in
their hands had $783 million US in
foreign currency reserves
>> to cover the three months and more of
Guyana's foreign currency reserves
>> and $13 billion in the gold reserves.
Yeah,
>> in 2020 when they were out and you check
the books
that 783 thou million went down to 300
million. Where the money gone?
Where it gone?
And then you had the gold count. a gold
reserves 13 billion dollars
went from 13 billion to2 billion dollars
>> because they sold the gold in huge
batches at the lowest price at the time
that is the level of phys financial what
you call it intelligence is that what
you call it Vikram
>> and so the issue of saying to us oh we
didn't have money you had money you had
money but what you did with it was did
not benefit the people of this country.
You know something about the people's
progressive party
>> that you don't understand and you will
only understand if you read don't
understand you read not here all the
noise nuisance you have in your ears and
the social media read go back to
documents these documents we refer to
are publicly available in a hide in
someone dress go and read the Guyana
reports to the international bodies go
and read the Guyana reports and the
reviews that are before the human rights
body and the anti-corruption bodies read
and then come back with your arguments.
It's anecdotes.
Anecdotes and emotionalism.
If you think that's going to get you far
as a politician, good luck. Mr. Speaker,
I have
>> we have
talked I hear people say this is not for
poor people. This is not for people
centered and so on.
You know, the PBP is a party that's 76
years this year.
And from the beginning when our first
government in 1953
right through when we came back again in
1992 with the longest opposition party
in the world to come back and win
government
and we're proud of that.
>> We led this country responsibly.
We didn't allow this country to go into
civil war because it could have.
Things were horrible,
>> unbearable.
>> And so the level of tension, the level
of Some of you don't know about death
squad
and what happened to people with the
death squads.
>> It you got to learn about your country.
Learn about the trials and tribulations
of our country. And that is why where we
are today is so important.
>> It is so important because the traverse
we went, the path we went was so
horrible. And I am so proud that the
young people of this country, the
children of this country don't have to
go through what we had to go through and
the younger children had to go through
all those years. I am happy that we in
the government have brought free
education, scholarships, books,
internet, smart studies, cash care
grants. I am proud
>> because
>> because we have the because we have
care. You can belittle the amount. I
remember Valde Lawrence as former MP
when we brought the cash care program
for the first time 2012 2013 said oh
it's misely
it's too misily but that's all the money
we had
and then mom 2015 in government she's a
minister
>> abandon it
the people of this the children of this
country were denied for five years
billions of dollars that could have gone
to their homes to help them deal with
their lives and their parents lives. Mr.
Speaker, you know, many my comrades here
on this side have spoken very well and
presented many arguments and at this
time we try to mop up as they say to try
to pull all the threads together.
>> But Mr. Speaker,
when we look at the indicators of
poverty,
I advise you know there's something in
the budget book.
>> They're the indicators at the
backdition.
>> Have you read that? If you look at the
back of the book, you have indicators
and under the indicator of gross
national disposable income at current
purchases price, the GE have $24,023
US.
>> This is a big difference from when it
was less than $2,000 30 odd years ago.
And so we have to measure where we come
from and where we are and where still we
have to go. No one is saying on this
side of the house we've solved all the
problems.
We're not saying that. We're saying that
consistently, constantly, sustainably,
we're moving this country forward. In
the last 5 years, this country has done
a trajectory never seen before
and has never experienced this before in
all its years of independence.
We come to celebrate n the 60th
anniversary this year of independence
and it will be one that allows us as a
people to have this pride of nation that
where we are today because at no other
time in unless in the last 5 years and
now has this country gone through what
is going through. Not once, not on the
British, not when we became independent,
never.
And so you go MP and please go to your
book at the back where we have about the
the purchasing power where we have about
the rates of exchange and about
inflation of 2.5%.
Where we talk about um the issue of
health and education where we talk about
the number of of children who have been
emunized and and just to go back to
indicators of poverty Mr. Speaker,
we take for granted a lot of things.
Say, oh, can you imagine if
ch people had to pay for the public
health services for vaccination of the
children as in many countries they have
to without if they have uh insurance and
if they don't have insurance they do
without it. Mr. Hines knows that well
he's from that country. He knows 40
million people in that country have no
access to health services.
But gies
receive vaccines not only children as it
used to be in the past but adults the
papalona virus the flu virus and all
these things HIV it's a multi-drug
treatment chemotherapy drug treatment
free
>> and therefore when you talk about
ability of people and what is the level
of poverty
the IMF and world bank in 1994 95 said
to Guyana you on loans for health and
education.
They said they said well if you want
loans you got to have cost recovery in
health and education and the government
of Ched led by Cheddy Jagen said
absolutely not we will not and we have
not up to this year decades later we
have not introduced cost recovery in the
public health system nor in the
educational system
the housing system when we started in
1994 to look at houses and how would we
have a housing program No houses had
been built for over 10 years in Guyana.
And we came up with a scheme. Teddy went
and did his thing with the IMF and World
Bank and they said, "No, no, no, no, no,
no, no. We can't give you loans unless
you sell those house lots at market
price."
And we said, "No, we can't do that." And
up to today, from 1996 to now, our house
lot program is subsidized by the
government. Nobody pays the market price
for it.
>> That's right.
>> That's right.
>> When you take the package of services,
>> you can't just look at, oh, it's 5,000
more for this and 5,000 is now can't
feed nobody. That is such narrow
intellectual assessments
that you know is a level of bankruptcy.
>> Seriously, mental bankruptcy
because you have to look at the
child'sity. A child is born in a public
hospital free. In the United States, how
much pay for a child to be born in
hospital? About 20,000 US.
>> If you got insurance, our children are
born free.
They get their vaccines free. They get
their school things free. We have the
house program which allows people to
have a future
>> and to get the issue of let's go to
housing. Let me just show you some stats
on housing because if you had to look at
some of our reports internationally, you
would have found these statistics and
they're available online. But let's
let's go to that
>> online or underline.
>> Mr. Speaker,
85% of the Ministry of Housing home
improvement subsidy went to women. 85%.
65%
of the core homes have been allocated to
women.
>> 46% of house lots were allocated to
women alone. Let's take that data. Let's
take that data alone. When a woman who
is a single parent, whether the granny,
the biological mother, some cousin
taking care of the children, when that
woman has a house lot and she's able to
build a house, this is one of the most
powerful things to her.
>> Y
>> she has collateral for the first time.
>> Ownership. Ownership. She has dignity.
She has the ability to take that and to
build on it. I remember years ago when
we started the program and there was a a
guard, a female guard and she got her
house and she was so excited she brought
me her receipt to show me. She paid up
and she show me the trans the transport
and she said, "Minister,
the teen me,
no man can put me out of me house now. I
can put he out.
>> He misbehaved. He want to beat me
outside because I own the property now.
It wasn't just about it. The issue of
owning your own home is one of the most
enlivening, the most dignified and most
powerful emotions for people and for
poor people. This is opens opportunities
you cannot believe. And that is why the
development bank, the concessional funds
to do with house lots and and building
houses so important to bring people out
of poverty. We're not saying there's no
poverty in Ghana, but we're saying your
58% is opportunist and a and totally
incorrect.
But when people
can live in a clean environment, not in
squattered areas, not in wards,
>> not in in bad conditions, the level, the
culture that develops of thrift, of this
is yours, you take care of it, so you
don't want garbage throw around it.
There are social consequences.
When a woman owns a house lot, her level
of empowerment is enormous. And so this
issue of domestic violence and sexual
violence, you will see the social
changes that will take place when this
issue of reduction of poverty, reduction
of people being vulnerable that many
women have had to be with men who abuse
them and beat them. And we we know about
it in this house too, don't we?
that
they have the power to be free for the
first time and to set their lives back
on the on on a course that is
developmental.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> honorable minister, I um I guess because
you and I are in the same age range. I
got caught up with reminiscing, but
you're way over that time. I wouldn't
tell you how much time you have left.
>> Okay, just give me my last comments. My
last wrap up.
Oh, did they?
>> Mr. Speaker
>> take an hour of my time. Come
>> on to talk for one hour more. Sir,
>> take an hour of my time to
>> Yes, she is.
>> Mr. Speaker,
>> yes, she has.
>> Mr.
Uh, Minister, let me just remind some of
the younger MPs that you were the
Commonwealth recipient for your
outstanding parliamentary
>> service. That's right. That's right.
That's right. The CPA
>> and he helped collect your award.
>> Yes,
>> Mr. Speaker.
>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Mr Speaker,
I encourage the MPs to look at the
national population and housing census.
You'll get an idea of also the
challenges that the population has
grown. You now have reach reached the
million mark
>> and therefore when you see increases in
education, health and housing and all,
it has to reflect and take care of that
that uh increase in population because
we've been working on using the old
census figures for a long time. And so
this this uh closing the gap between
what are statistically proven documents
and also what we serve the people with.
And so this with a larger population,
there's greater stress on your budget on
what you do and how you relate to
people. And so I encourage you to look
at that. It has the regional breakdown.
It has also the household breakdown. So
although we have larger population, we
have smaller households, which means
more and more people need houses because
when it was 10 people in a house, eight
people in a house, now it's a it's more
nuclearized. I call a nuclear family
that you now have averages. But you
still have in the population census the
fact that the indigenous population of
Guyana is the fastest growing ethnic
group in the whole country and we have
to take that into consideration in terms
of services that are offered and
expansion of services and
diversification. That population has
grown from 5% in 1992 to what is
probably 12% now. So I encourage you to
read study. The other issue Mr. speaker
is look look I've heard the comments
about pensioners
and
the issue of it's measly and stuff like
that Mr. Mr Speaker, I done some
calculation. I'm not a great
mathematician, but I think I'm better
than a few in this house. So, if we
calculate the annual old age pension per
per person uh that's of that age group,
plus we add the $100,000
and water and and electricity subsidy.
For example, for pensioners, this their
pension stipen is equivalent to $2,833
per Anna. The 100,000 is approximately
$462
US.
Therefore, over $3,000
3,000 odd two 200 odd go in terms of
pensioners receiving on an annual basis.
If you add on water and electricity
subsidy and that is based on the fact of
whether the person the pensioner has
their name on the bill for electricity
or water that's how it's done and so
when we look at that versus other
countries this is a non-contributing
scheme
eligible to all GE
including those who lived in Ghana live
abroad who come home to collect their
money because things rough in some of
them countries now
And so we mustn't belittle because the
same pensioners just like the children
they will get health care. They will get
their health care free. They can get
their med medicine free including
diialysis if those who are serious and
need diialysis. Those who have cardiac
issues. Those who have uh cancer.
This is the things and including so we
have to to to calculate and in the
budget there's talk about homes and
elderly care that at home care for the
elderly. This is important. Elderly
don't want to necessarily go into a home
assisted home. They want to be in their
own house or with their family. And so
that whole program of training people to
to care for the elderly at home is a
very important um intervention and all
that's calculated. Um so that Mr.
Speaker I I
when I hear that I get really angry when
I hear about this. Oh is nothing there.
It's 58%.
I get upset because
it's not real and it's not true. I'm not
saying there's no poverty. There is.
There gaps we have to close.
We have regularized squatting areas. We
have given people new places to go.
But
some people create squatting areas. So
they know some of them plan. Some I know
were encouraged politically
to create squatting. So eh the
government come under pressure and then
they going to give me the house lots.
they're going to put us on the faster
track for the applications. And there
are others who create squatting areas
who generally need don't don't don't
have any other choice. But there are
also those who rent the house lots
they've got the houses they've got from
government and they live in a squatting
area so they can get money. And these
are things that are interesting ways in
which gy address their social
circumstances.
You can talk about domestic violence and
sexual violence and child abuse
and we as a people have to deal with
these social problems, the level of
alcohol use, the level of drug use.
These are things we have to look at. But
that's not and in no theory or book you
look at, it is ever put on government
alone. Government has to bring measures
to try to facilitate, to assist, to put
money into things. But in most countries
it is a combination of government,
private sector, religious bodies, civil
society to try to deal with the social
problems at especially the community
level. And if there is anything you I
think that your party should look at is
in what way to engage on those issues.
Mr. Speaker, budget 2026 is more than a
sum of investments and measures. It
expresses a vision for Guyana where a
dynamic economy is paired with social
progress, where infrastructure
development is paired with human
development and where the benefits of
growth reach citizens in every region.
It is a people centered budget in the
truest form. One that protects the
vulnerable, empowers families, supports
workers, strengthens community, and
reinforces Ghana emerging role as a
regional leader in sustainable rights
development. All the things I've
referred to in this speech is rights
based by the way talk about access to
health, access to education, all these
things these are human rights based and
therefore this approach to people first
people centered in the ' 92 was called
pro poor progrowth all these things
we've been doing to enhance and
strengthen the democracy of Guyana to
make this country one in which we are
all equal and we can all have
opportunities and therefore Mr. Speaker,
I I close. This is my last lick, as they
say. This is my last lick, if you'll
allow me.
>> No, no, keep going. Keep going.
>> This This for me, this is Guyana's
golden era. This is our golden era, and
we have really had a hard road to reach
here, but in the last 5 years, it's
unrecognizable. It is time for all gy to
capitalize on the opportunities
available and experience our development
can be personal, measurable and centered
on our own dignity as human beings
irrespective of diverse our diverse
perspectives and ideologies.
This government will continue to put our
people first as we've done from 92 to
now when we had no money and now when we
have oil money. We will deliver policies
and programs that uplift our citizens,
strengthen our institutions, and secure
bright future for generations to come.
Thank you very much.
>> Wonderful.
>> Thank you.
>> Wonderful.
>> Very, very much.
Wonderful. Wonderful.
Thank you very very much honorable
minister
and
we are also enriched by her experiences
and today's delivery. I also wanted to
mention and I forgot last night uh the
one person we didn't have to tickle
about time and that was the newcomer the
honorable Dr. Peter Ramsu. This is a
good time to take the suspension. We
come back at 7:05.
Heat. Heat.
Everyone want
Yeah.
Heat.
Heat. Hey, Heat.
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