3RD SITTING – THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT | 2026 BUDGET DEBATE | DAY 2| PART 3

THE PEOPLE WAS HERE

THAT MORE ESTATE NOBODY IN THIS room

would know this let me edify YOU AND

MORE ESTATE HAD 85% OF THE CULTIVATION

ALREADY MECHANIZED ON DR.

Singh 85% was already mechanized. You

know what's the cost to do about those

two hatred? $23 billion.

So we got to do it in phase and it will

never be completed. THE MINISTER MUST

SAY WHY SCULLING 5,000 hectars which

were already mechanized were not the

first priority than Rosal.

Let me tell you about Rosal.

Rosal 3,000 hectares of land, Mr.

Speaker,

put it at the highest yield and average

yield of 70 tons per hectar

on pad.

You're going to learn

and you cross with a factory that HAS A

THROUGHPUT OF 105 TONS PER HOUR. MR.

Speaker Rosales statement the current

can production will only be crushing for

15 weeks. What are you going to do with

the paper for 45 weeks for 35 weeks?

Sorry. What are you going to do with

them?

THAT'S EFFICIENCY. THAT'S HOW THE

MINISTRY HAS BEEN RUN. THAT'S

WHAT HAPPENED THAT THE PEOPLE MUST KNOW

WHAT'S GOING ON.

So Rosa was reopened. Not because of the

[snorts] government's bleeding heart for

the poor people. It was all reopened

because of the voting in 2025 elections.

And we understand the reason for wanting

to influence people in the Amsterdam

kangjal area to vote for a party. If you

put party first, if you do not

understand THE TERM OF OBLIGATORY duties

and you're rather monted in your

approach, that's the result of it.

SO, MR. SPEAKER,

>> LET ME TURN RIGHT OVER there to Wales

Estate. 10 YEARS [screaming] AGO, THAT

ESTATE CLOSED.

>> 10 YEARS AGO,

what happened with the people in that

estate 10 years ago, 8,900 ACRES OF LAND

WERE CLOSED.

>> We could have taken lands there and give

them an acre each and the people would

have earned a livelihood. But you know

what we did?

>> WE TAKE 700 ACRES AND we give it an

alcohol name here because they have the

documents.

>> THE GOVERNMENT TOOK 700 ACRES AND HAND

IT TO PAUL Jung

>> and if HE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT

MADE PAUL the CEO of foro honorable

member

>> the standing order say you cannot name a

person who is not in the house because

they're not here to defend themselves.

>> Then guided Mr. Speaker, that being

said, honorable member, you need an

extension to conclude.

>> So, Mr. Speaker,

>> let me talk justice.

>> Mr. Speaker, I beg that the the

honorable member be given five more

minutes to conclude.

>> You may proceed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> For 10 years, nobody found know anything

what happened to wheels. Mr. Speaker,

WALES PRODUCE COFFEE. HONORABLE MINISTER

of Agriculture, Wales produce cocoa.

Why can't you give back the people at

Wales to produce coffee and cocoa? Why

you bringing people from Dominican

Republic to do that?

>> And you have PEOPLE THERE STARVING AND

OUT OF JOBS.

Go and find out the place in cocoa field

at Ven that you had 1,800 acres of land

that produce cocoa at Wales estate and

Nestle company the world largest food

company can take all the coconut you

produce.

>> Tell the people why you bringing people

from Dominican Republic when people

don't have jobs and they're starving

there.

TELL THE PEOPLE AT 10 MORE

>> WHO HAS 10,000 acres of land. Why they

can't be given land to a livelihood?

>> Why we have to keep it there for friends

and favorites and families to build

castle

>> perhaps cast in the air too.

>> Mr. Speaker, if I'm to turn to the rice

industry,

>> the honorable minister of AGRICULTURE

MUST INFORM THIS house

>> that 11,000 tons of cargo rice

was indeed

shipped to go to Europe

>> the rice ended up

>> with contamination by the overuse of

pronto. So I don't know where are the

people with hass and all the quality

control people but all the minister of

finance senior minister of finance I

want you to know THAT THE EURO PRICE WAS

$800 PER TON

AND BASIC MATHEMATICS will tell you if

you multiply that it's 8,800,000

US

minister will say where the rice was

dist distributed

where did it go and What price did we

receive?

>> They know they don't care.

>> Mr. Speaker, two days rainfall, the

country flood.

>> Two days sunshine, you're in drought.

>> But we are spending billions with NDIA.

>> And you know what NDIA did in 2024? I

drew to the attention of agriculture

minister,

senior minister of finance. Sir, please

listen to this.

>> The 5,000 hectares that you have in

Skeleton already prepared for mechanized

operation in the Tinder and dig a big

canal of 10 miles distance

>> desecrated every single thing that was

planned here.

When the minister realized, the

honorable minister, that this is going

to blow up,

>> it was stopped. But it WASN'T STOPPED

UNTIL 10 MILES WERE finished

>> and we can go there. I can take anyone

voluntarily to go and see. WHEN I ASKED

THE MINISTER WHY you're doing that

because there was a gauu then the min

minister called the chairman who

professed he doesn't know. So imagine we

are managing a country, we are managing

an organization CALLED NDIA THAT

BILLIONS ARE SPENT AND WE DON'T know

what they doing

in Florida

in New York.

>> Sir, I heard you said that my time is up

but I wish to conclude sir.

>> And you know the world has about 8

billion people. I can speak for the next

six hours here.

I'm accustomed to that. The world has

about 8 billion people by the last

census, sir.

>> And 30% of the world's population

>> understands a language called Hindi.

>> I will explain it to you Kwami. You went

to my mander, but you didn't learn

anything. [laughter]

You went there and you eat plenty some

curry and yet you don't learn. You head

hard

>> in that population, sir.

I seek your permission to quote

>> and it says

the honorable minister Dr. the venda

pasad I don't have to explain that to

her but I'm bounded by duty perhaps to

tell my friend for a second time so that

you can have a common understanding as

to what I'm talking about

what the scripture says well you don't

know because you don't know basic hindi

what the work says

what it says Mr. SPEAKER

THAT WHEN A WORLD

swings and there is suppression and

oppression becomes rife the multitude of

the people suffers.

>> That's a classic demonstration of what's

taking place in this country. I thank

you Mr. speaker.

>> Thank you, honorable member.

And now for the honorable minister of

agriculture,

the honorable

Zulfigar Muslim.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

>> Mr. Speaker, I rise to make my

contribution to budget 2026.

And first of all, I want to commend and

thank my colleague Minister Dr. Ashley

Singh and his technical team

for a people centered budget.

a budget that is designed to strengthen

economic growth

while uplifting communities.

And this is a strategic budget inclusive

of sustainable national progress.

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by saying

>> that food insecurity,

food insecurity is rising all over the

world, especially in over half of the

upper upper middle income country.

Guyana stands alone.

We are the only country in the world

identify as identified as capable of

fully feeding its population.

That is Guyana capable of feeding its

population.

And this did not fall from the sky.

>> This not did not fall from the sky.

>> It did not happen by accident.

And it certainly did not happen under

the watch

>> of those now shouting from over there.

>> It happened because this government

>> planned invest and stood with the

farmers instead of lecturing them from

Georgetown.

>> Mr. Speaker,

I sat down listen attentively

>> to the honorable member.

And I want to thank the honorable member

honorable Vishnu Pande

>> that the APNU PNC

plus the PPP civic destroy the industry

but there was one common factor the

pandel syndrome. The pandem

was in working under the PNCR

in Gauo and he work under the PB civic

and he destroyed the corporation.

everything.

>> Mr. Mr. Speaker, the honorable member

>> portrayed himself as the champion of

accountability.

>> But accountability begins with honesty.

That's right.

>> One cannot credibly demand standard

today

>> while conveniently ignoring one's record

yesterday.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> HE WAS THE AGRICULTURE THE HONORABLE

MEMBER WAS THE AGRICULTURE DIRECTOR OF

GAUO

>> AND HIS PERFORMANCE WAS FAR BELOW par

>> under HIS TENURE

>> UNDER HIS TENURE. MR. SPEAKER

UNDER HIS TENURE. MR. SPEAKER,

>> Gauo

recorded the LOWEST [screaming]

PRODUCTION IN THE HISTORY OF THE

cooperation

6,700

tons.

>> And Mr. speaker.

>> If that is not all,

>> because of his incompetence,

>> because of his below FOUR PERFORMANCE,

>> THE HONORABLE member was dismissed from

Kaisuka because OF POOR PERFORMANCE.

THIS IS HIS DISMISSAL LETTER. I will lay

it over to the house.

>> This is his dismissal letter that when

HE WAS DISMISSED by the corporation, Mr.

Speaker,

And Mr. Speaker,

>> he said that he came back.

>> He came back when the PB returned to

government.

>> He was responsible, the honorable MEMBER

>> was responsible for the Skeleton estate.

[screaming]

>> He was asked he was asked by the

corporation to craft A PLAN TO REOPEN

THE SKELETON ESTATE. He failed. Yeah,

>> he failed

>> and when HE WAS ASKED TO WHEN HE WAS

ASKED

>> TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PLAN,

>> he resigned.

>> Mr. Speaker, he resigned.

>> Mr. Speaker,

at Skeleton,

Mr. Speaker, at Scalden,

>> there was indeed

>> there was indeed.

>> Honorable minister, we have the

honorable member to speak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> Mr. Speaker, I just want to say for the

record of this house,

>> the standing order 416, I want to make

very clear in this house sir, I Vishu

Pande was never ever

>> Why is the point of order? Why is the

point of order?

>> Where is the point of order? Who used

that?

>> Thank you, sir.

Mr. Speaker,

>> and again, Mr. Speaker,

>> the honorable member

>> at Skellian, he just said that there was

5,000 hectares of mechanized land.

Indeed. Indeed, there was 5,000 hectares

of mechanized land at Skellian.

But what happened? We decided that we

must plant the land.

>> We decided that WE MUST PLAN THE LAND.

HE WAS INSTRUCTED AS THE AGRICULTURE

DIRECTOR to plant THE CANE AND HE FAILED

AGAIN. ONLY LESS THAN A TH000 HECTARE OF

CANE WAS PLANTED.

>> He failed.

>> Mr. Speaker,

THE AGRICULTURE DIRECTOR THAT TIME MR.

HONORABLE VISHNU Pande who was

RESPONSIBLE FOR AGRICULTURE IN GAUO.

He planted cane and IN GAU WHEN YOU

PLANT CANE

>> they plant cane tons can for it BE

HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER CANE in the

estate.

>> MR. PANDA THE HONORABLE MEMBER

>> WHEN HE PLANTED THAT CANE he had the

lowest tons can per acre 66 tons can

instead of 70 AND MORE THAT IS HIS

LEGACY

>> and Mr. speaker

>> because of his INCOMPETENCE

BECAUSE OF HIS INCOMPETENCE,

>> BECAUSE OF HIS BELOVED PERFORMANCE, he

received A LETTER FROM GAUO in December

of 2024

informing him that HE CANNOT OR HIS

CONTRACT will not be renewed by the

corporation because he's ineffective and

he's performing below part and he coming

to he come here to lecture us.

So Mr. Speaker,

that is the legacy of Mr. Vishnu Pandi.

SO

>> WHEN HIS CONTRACT WAS NOT RENEWING, he

came to me and he asked ME TO INTERVENE

>> AND WHEN I FIND OUT FROM the board, the

board said that he cannot continue

because he's not an effective

agriculture director and he has failed

the cooperation and that is his legacy.

That is his legacy. AND WHEN HIS

CONTRACT WAS NOT RENEWED, he said he

want to take revenge and he gone over

vagina OPPOSITION PARTY. THAT'S THE MAN.

THAT'S THE MAN.

And then he come HERE TODAY COULD TALK

ABOUT WHEN I HEARD THAT MR. Vishnu Pand

the honorable member will speak on

agriculture. I expect this man know

everything about agriculture. He spoke

about three things. He spoke about

coffee, a little rice, a little SUGAR

ALL THE TIME, and a little DNA.

>> A little DNA.

>> So, Mr. Speaker,

although although he spoke at length ON

SUGAR,

>> HE CANNOT DEFEND HIS RECORD in the sugar

industry. He cannot defend his record.

>> HE KNOW EVERYTHING THAT

he know,

>> Mr. Speaker.

I also want to touch a little bit

>> on what was said yesterday in this

honorable house.

>> Mr. Speaker,

the a new the loss the a new loss of

MORE THAN HALF more than half of their

seats reflects a failure in their

leadership. from 30 from 29

>> from 31 seats to 12 they lost 19 seat

because of their attitude

>> and Mr. Speaker, when parties figure

when party figure like Vince Jordan

focus on criticism and rhetoric instead

OF OFFERING PRACTICAL SOLUTION, it is no

surprise that the electorators turn away

from them.

>> Don't turn away. And let ME TELL YOU

WHAT

>> HONORABLE member Honorable member Jordan

is the rep for region 5 in 20120

>> when THEY WAS VOTED OUT OF GOVERNMENT

>> the new received 14,52

votes in region five in 2020 THEY WERE

VOTED OUT OF GOVERNMENT THEY HAD A

CHANCE TO recoup and you know what they

DID

>> BECAUSE OF THEIR ATTITUDE because of

their style In 2025, they received 55%

less vote in region 5. 55% less. That is

their record. That is their record.

>> And we mention a whole host of other

issue which I will not go into. Mr.

Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker,

that

is the record of the opposition. So no

matter what they are complaining and

criticizing us, we increase our seats

from 33 to 36.

From 33 to 36 because of what we have

been doing in this country. We have been

uplift uplifting people. We have been

improving people lives. WE HAVE IMPROVED

INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE BRING BENEFIT TO

THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRY. THAT'S THE

record of the PPP civic government.

Mr. Speaker,

>> and let us look at the achievement

>> sugar production. They criticize it. But

when the HONORABLE MEMBER WHEN HE WAS

FIRED, when his contract was not

renewed,

>> 2024,

>> when his contract was not renewed in

2024, sugar production increased by 24

26%.

26% SUGAR PRODUCTION INCREASED BY

MR. SPEAKER,

113,000

and 47

tons metric tons of kale were harvested

mechanically. Over 41%

of Gauo's agriculture department now

field have been mechanized. He had the

task, the honorable member, but he

failed.

>> The cooperation is moving and Mr.

Speaker, I have here in my hand the new

5-year strategic plan for Gauo, which

will see Gauo come to profitability by

2030. This is the plan that we have. Mr.

Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker,

we are seeing a number a number of these

development in Gauo. The Albian

packaging plant has begun operations. We

have seen the land conversion level and

mechanization advance significantly

since Mr. Pande were removed from Gauo.

Honorable

>> Piellin

>> Skellen the 5,000 hectares that the

honorable me me me me me me me me me me

me me me me me me me me me me me me me

me me me me me me me me me me me me me

me me me me member me me me me me me me

me me me me me me me me me me me me me

me me me me me me me me me me me me me

me me me me me me ment ment ment

mentioned is now being planted when he

was removed from gauo because he failed

to do it

>> Mr. Speaker

>> I challenge

I challenge as I said NDIA they they

always criticize NDI

Mr. Speaker,

for us for us to have production

increase, for farmers to benefit, we

have to modernize our NDI structures.

>> Over the last 5 years,

>> we have built over 10 pump station

across this country and another five are

advancing. That will continue. And I

DARE THE OPPOSITION I DARE THE

OPPOSITION TO BRING ANY PROJECT THAT IS

HAS ANY PROBLEMS AND WE will investigate

IT UNDER NDI. BRING THE PROJECT. BRING

THE FACTS. Bring the facts. [screaming]

Don't call IT TARGET. BRING THE FACTS

AND WE will do it. Mr. Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker, yesterday again you heard.

We heard the member Vincent Jordan.

Honorable member said here, COME TO THIS

HOUSE and said how the government

reduced the fishery budget by $200

million. Mr. Speaker, let me tell you

what. Last year's in Los Angeles

estimate in last area estimate the

budget, the fisheries budget had $1.3

billion allocated. And then the Ministry

of Agriculture

add another $400 million from the

integrated budget, making it $1.7

billion last year.

>> Mr. Speaker, THAT WE SPENT LAST YEAR.

AND THIS YEAR AGAIN when you look at the

budget allocations

$1.5 billion listed in the budget and

another $800 million will be going to

that sum to increase it to $2.3 BILLION.

THAT'S THE THAT'S THE HONORABLE MEMBER

very in very very Mr. Speaker [laughter]

I am saying again

the the honorable member don't know to

read the budget. HE DON'T KNOW TO READ

THE BUDGET. HE JUST LOOK AT the minister

speech and think that is the budget

estimate. You have the volumes. Then you

go through the volumes.

Mr. Speaker,

as I said, like last year, another $800

million will be added on. 21.5 billion

that are listed here in the budget will

give us $2.3 billion for 2026. That is

the budget for 2026. So we have

increased the budgetary allocation in

the fishery sector by $600 million more

this year.

>> Mr. Speaker, as I said,

Mr. Mr. Speaker again I am telling this

honorable member I am telling this

honorable member Vince Vince Jordan

your budget the honorable member the

honorable the honorable minister said

1.5 but you got another 800 million

coming from INTEGRATED

THAT IS the you don't learn it learn

that is why you'll go over there for the

rest of your life

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> as I said, in the right industry, in the

right industry, we have seen monumental

progress. We have seen progress moving

from rice rice production move from a

mere 500,000 ton in 2020 to 810,000

t in 2025.

Mr. speaker that came about because of

the government's budgetary allocation in

getting new uh variety of seed patty

fertilizer grant to the farmers

subsidies to the farmers reducing of the

taxes that was important and the box of

farmers reduction of DNI and rental

charges from $15,000 to $3,500

open up new lands for farmers those are

the factors that have contributed to the

increase of rice production in our

country. Mr. Speaker, for the first TIME

IN THE Caribbean history, Guyana has

implemented a security insurance product

for rice farmers. Rice farmers crop now

are insure that they can draw from that

whenever they suffer from floods and

drought. First time in the HISTORY OF

THE CARIBBEAN, GUYANA IS THE ONLY

COUNTRY that has that. Mr. Speaker,

The honorable member talk about food

strategy.

Food strategy. What we are doing right

now as I'm speaking a food hub is being

built at Yarocabra and no less a person

than Bloomberg grain from the United

States of America is THE CONTRACTOR

BUILDING THAT food hub at Yarocabra.

Mr. Speaker, we saw and this is simple.

this anyone any of the farmers and I

have a number of farmers here they can

testify they're out dog there they are

listening and they know the reality that

what I am talking about

>> yes sir

>> I am not coming here and saying making

um false statement they are here we have

farmers the fisher folks we have the

rice farmers we have the cash crop

farmers we have the agriculture farmers

we have the livestock farmers all of

them are here this afternoon to listen

to the presentation of budget in the

agriculture sector. THEY CAME HERE

BECAUSE THEY have benefited tremendously

from the intervention of the people's

progressive party civic.

And Mr. SPEAKER, THE HONORABLE minister

of finance in his budget speech

alluded to the fact that the GDP growth

was 19%.

Not all economy grew by 14%.

And that was led by agriculture 11

11.5%.

If agriculture was not doing anything,

why agriculture pushing this growth rate

in the country when you have on oil

economy moving the economy forward?

>> Mr. Speaker,

again we have moved growth in the

agriculture sector from 0.5%

negative in 1919 to 11.5%

in 2025.

>> We have increased coconut production

>> to 205 by 256 acres.

We have taken co coconut cultivation to

over 35,000

acres in our country and this year this

year again we'll increase it by over

5,000 he hectares.

>> Mr. Speaker,

you have to have vision we recognize

that young people young people is the

key to develop this country. Mr.

Speaker,

>> what we did, we

engaged a number of young people in this

country.

>> Yes,

>> we form a company called the agriculture

in innovation entrepreneurship program.

>> It has over 300 young people

>> who are shareholders of this company.

Some of them are here. They can raise

their hand. Where they are? They can

raise their hand. Look

>> right. They are here. Now we have over

54 shade houses under that program. We

have four hydrophonics farmed IN THE

CARIBBEAN, LARGEST in the Caribbean in

Guyana. They are managing that

>> at the end of the year.

>> When the crop is being sold and they got

their profit, they are receiving

dividend from that company. That's the

vision we talking about.

Uh, honorable minister. One second.

Members of the gallery, please. No

recording, no clapping, no cheering, no

stomping on the

>> benches.

>> You can stop.

>> No man, let me start.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> as I said again,

>> the AIP project have encouraged us to

move further.

>> Now, we have over 15 groups

consisted of 30 and more young people.

>> Yes, sir.

>> Who are involved in the tunnel

ventilated program. They are here. They

are here came here.

>> Each each Mr. Speaker, each tunnel

ventilated house will

each tunnel ventilated house is capable

of producing between 30 to 40,000 birds

in every in every 6 weeks.

Mr. Speaker, annually each pen can

produce seven crops per year.

>> Multiply by 40,000 and then multiply it

by 13. see how much production we'll

have in poultry production.

>> Poultry production. And these people

will be owner because we have guaranteed

a loan from the bank. In less than a

year, they will pay back that loan

coming out of that the profit coming out

of the tunnel ventilated house. They are

owners.

>> Mr. Speaker, again

>> you're talking about putting the people

first.

>> Mr. Speaker, let me tell you what,

>> we have a policy directed by his

excellency the president that every

project under the Ministry of

Agriculture must include 35% young

people and women.

So much so that under the epic culture

under the epic culture project we have a

young lady who testify

Miss Chisum she came all the way from

San Fort in Barbies.

Miss Chisum said

that 75 million and Miss Chisum is here

where raise your hand. Let can see look

Miss Chisum is there.

She is there and she said

>> 40% we have had 75 million national

honey pro honey honey expansion program

>> 40% in honey production in 2025

>> m miss a mother of three who started in

2016 was with one just one hive

because of floods and wildfire

it wipe out the entire apery for

under the PPP civic government with help

from GLDA. Correct.

>> Miss Chisumpt is today the proud owner.

She manages 110 hives today. Miss

Chisum.

>> AND SHE PRODUCES SHE PRODUCE HONEY.

She produce honey under the name under

the name brand nature nature body nature

by flow that is her honey brand name and

she export honey overseas.

>> But that story go further. She has three

teenage children and because of the help

they saw what the PP civic government

give to their mother they themselves get

involved in honey production and with

support from GLDA Mr. Speaker they

expanded their honey production and they

got into involving honey with their

mother and now they are producing honey

Mr. speaker under the brand Golden

Harvest Honey under Miss Chisum children

name they now got two family who are

producing honey that is the empowerment

that we talking about that is putting

people forth Mr. Speaker

>> Mr. Speaker, that is not all

>> we have here.

>> Lester Henry.

>> Lester Henry, who's a sheep farmer from

West Coast Barbie. He's right next to

Vincent

>> Hector.

>> Jordan, our honorable member.

>> You know, Mr. Hector,

>> Mr. Hector is here.

>> Mr. Hector, Miss He, Mr. Hector was

involved in the sheep production in

region five.

And because

of

>> the help because of the help he received

from GLDA

>> and the breeding animals that we gave

him today he can help his neighbors in

his community that 10 other person are

benefiting from the program that we

starting out with Mr. Hector that's the

kind of way of putting people first Mr.

Speaker Mr. Speaker, right now in region

five,

>> the area the area that we we we heard

that honorable member talked so loud

about yesterday, Mr. Win Jordan,

honorable member,

that area is now a action area for us.

That area is a catalyst of development

for us now in the agriculture sector.

Not only rice, gone are the days when

only we had rice production. We have

prawns production coming out of that

area. Prawns is being exported to places

like Barbados and the eastern Caribbean

country. We have the aviator in

operation that slaughters almost 35

animal daily and expand and when we

expand it, it will start to slaughter

approximately 100 animal daily. Mr.

Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker,

we heard

we heard the honorable member start talk

about the fisher folks. The fisher folks

in this country we have seen massive

infrastructural development. Hundreds of

landing sites and warf were developed

during the last 5 years. We have put in

these vessel monitoring device from

these vessel going into the Atlantic

Ocean so that we can have trace

traceability. Whenever they are in

distress, we can find those vessel and

bring them back safely. A shore. Mr.

Speaker,

Mr. SPEAKER,

WHEN YOU TALK about empowering people

and put people first, I said it last

year.

We have seen

>> we have seen

in this country

a rural economy

>> that used to produce just about 10,000

kilogram of shrimp.

>> We have now moved production in that

area from 10,000 kg to 120,000 kg.

THEY BROUGHT IN LAST YEAR almost $2.9

billion and some of them are over here

on the top on the quarantine. They are

here. Look, look, they're raising their

hand there. Look, THEY ARE OVER THERE.

PROUD FARMERS WHO ARE FARMING under the

People's Progressive Party Civic

Government who are getting the benefits.

Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Speaker, we start in the Hinterland

location. We start the cage CULTURE IN

THE HINTERLAND LOCATION. We already put

down more than 40 cages where we are now

producing tambi key and that is

supplementing the village economy in

these interior locations.

This year again we will put in another

40 cages in different parts of the

country. Those are new areas new

development that are taking place. Mr.

Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker, as I said, we will see

massive development again continues this

year. $13.4 billion go back again into

the sugar industry because we value

people in this country. WE ARE NOT

CALLOUS. WE ARE NOT against sugar

workers. WE ARE NOT AGAINST any workers

and we will continue to support all the

workers in this country. Unlike the AFP

and U AFC track record, THEY DISMISS ON

THE SPOT. HONORABLE MEMBER mentioned

last night 7,500 sugar workers. 7,500

sugar workers. THEN HE COME INTO THIS

HOUSE

>> lamenting the fact that sugar production

or the cost to produce a pound of sugar

is over $200. But he didn't say that

they shut down four estate. They closed

down

>> FOUR ESTATE. [screaming] THEY DIDN'T SAY

BECAUSE OF THE COST ASSOCIATED now to

run those estate employ more those

people in the community that is pushing

the cost up for production very in very

very

>> callous action

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> as I said, we will see 134, we will see

$3.3 billion in the other crops section.

We'll see 30 acres of new area being

developed for dragon fruits. We will see

10 10 acres onion being developed in

letmily

increase production. We'll see spices in

region one increase by over 500 acres.

the fisheries department. As I said,

$2.3 billion allocated to this um

sector. We will see upgrading of new

landing sites. We'll see the

construction of a female. We'll now

produce our own larae. The shrimp the

shrimp hatchery will come into effect

this year. We'll expand the cage culture

and we'll install more vessel tracking

devices. and also we'll launch a digital

seafood market platform from the

ministry of agriculture. Mr. Speaker, in

the livestock section, in the livestock

department, $1.9 billion allocated. As I

said, we'll see a number of tunnel pens

for young people being built this year.

Almost six are in construction stage.

One is in operation already. We'll see

65 acre plots at region 5 already

developed that will continue to support

farmers to help them there to benefit

from those plots. We'll expand the

abattoire in Anvarak to cater for about

100 animals to slaughter per day. We'll

increase honey production and expand

honey production. in a processing we'll

see ago ago processing facility built at

Pika and let him we already completed

the um cassava processing plant at Para

the special project as I said I just

spoke about the food hub

we will see the black I black ey peas

and reds bean project come into

operation at Kimia we already build the

silos there are 4,000 ton silos and uh

Mr. Speaker between the ministry of

local government they are working in

conjunction with us that in vulnerable

area we will build to vulnerable group

and uh the chief just mentioned on our

side that the women's group in Tiger Bay

will be giving 50 shade houses to start

cultivation of high value crops

processing

>> Mr. Speaker, as I said, this year in

another two months, we'll commission the

situation room, the data center, where

we'll have updated data for not only

farmers in Guyana, but across the

Caribbean. We'll see the construction of

the Guyana School of Agriculture be to

become a center of excellence. We'll see

the start of the silos in Esqubo to

store farmers pi. So when the price is

low, we can store potty there and keep

it and see new market for farmers. Mr.

Speaker, another game changer for the

agriculture industry will be the Guyana

Development Bank.

>> Minister, before you can tell us about

that game changer, you'll need an

extension.

>> Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask that the

honorable member be given five minutes

to conclude his

>> Thank you, Minister Sher. Honorable

Minister of Agriculture, you may

continue.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you,

Madame Chief. So, Mr. Speaker, as I

said, the Guyana Development Bank where

we heard a hundred million US dollars

allocated to that bank that would be a

gamecher for farmers in our country. As

it stands now, many rice farmers are

forced to sell their party to particular

millers because they normally take loans

when they go to the crops. This bank

here will cater for up to $3 million

loan without collateral and without

interest. that will help tremendously

our farmers in this country. Mr.

Speaker, we have also seen the zero

collateral and zero interest rate in

this bank here.

We have seen the removal of the

corporate tax for agro processing

businesses. This is a bold move that

signal to every small entrepreneurs in

Guyana that Guyana is open for business.

That's right. We have seen the benefit

that farmer spoke about with the lower

of the excise tax and the eliminate the

elimination of the excise tax and a flat

rate and the double door pickups. We we

have seen the the elimination of all

taxes and duty and outboard engine 150

power horsepower outboard engine. So Mr.

Speaker, there are lots in this budget

for the farmers and the working people

in this country and we have seen with

the amount of money being allocated to

this sector and the entire budget all

these are allocated without no taxes

without no taxes in this country Mr.

Speaker. So Mr. Speaker as I said

earlier that this 113.2 2 billion is the

government's contract with the people of

our country.

>> That's right.

>> It is a contract that says your food

will be affordable, your land will be

irrigated and drain in time and your

children will have a career in the most

noble of all industries. Mr. Speaker,

this year under the guiding theme of

putting people first, our agricultural

budget is shaped by a single form

commitment to empower those who

cultivated our land, who those who

cultivate our land, feed our nation, and

sustain our future. We recognize that

the strength of our agriculture sector

is not measured solely in output or

export but in the dignity in the dignity

it brings to our farmers.

>> The opportunities created for rural

youth and resilience it builds in the

face of climate and economic

uncertainty. I am not behind a

teleprompter here you know reading from

a teleprompter. This budget is a direct

affirmation of our government's

commitment to the hardworking farmers,

fisher folks, agrop processors, and

rural communities who sustain and

nourish our great nation. Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Speaker, I challenge the honorable

members in the opposition benches to

stand with the farmers, stands with our

sugar workers, stands with our official

folks, stands with our agrop processors,

stands with the workers of this country

and let us all approve this budget for

the benefit of our country. I commend

this budget to the honorable house, Mr.

Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you, honorable minister.

>> I now invite the honorable member, Miss

Dawn Hastings, to make her

contributions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> Mr. Speaker, I rise to make my

contribution to the budget debate 2026,

not with hostility,

but with responsibility.

>> Mr. Speaker, I wish to ask the honorable

minister who just spoke. It is nice and

I appreciate him speaking about what is

there for the farmers.

>> I appreciate him listing all the

completed projects. Mr. Speaker, what

about the incompleted projects? The what

about the Belle view pump station

and the good fortune

pump station in region three?

And probably there are many more but it

is only those two that has come to my

mind.

>> Many more.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> I will now ask, please permit me now

>> to begin by

>> joining my

>> colleagues who spoke before me in

congratulating the new elected leader of

the opposition,

>> Mr. Ashudin Muhammad. Yes.

>> I also want to take this time

>> to thank all the indigenous brothers and

sisters who came out in their numbers

and voted overwhelmingly for the W

movement.

The people of Kako village,

>> Karang Warata, Kaikon, Parema, War

Ramadan, Quibanang, Jawala, Imbadai

without seeing the leader in person

came out to cast their votes with

confidence.

Why they did not see him in person? We

all know that he was not permitted to

fly into these communities, but that did

not deter their determination to vote

for a new party.

>> Mr. Speaker, the people of Bartika and

its surrounding communities, they too

came out in their numbers and voted for

the WIN.

>> The people of Kangaruma

The people of Isanu

>> and the people of Iseru in the middle

Mazeruni they also spoke by casting

their v votes for the wind party.

>> Mr. Speaker, we did not fly into these

communities,

but we drove. We took the jetboat and

travel that treacherous Maseruni River

to meet with these people.

>> And we will return to visit our people

who voted for us.

>> Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Speaker, permit me now, please, to

correct my colleague

>> over there, my indigenous brother who

has miserably failed the indigenous

people of this country.

It is not the wind movement that will

vanish or disappear in the next 5 years

or so,

>> but that he must begin to accept

and acknowledge that it is the

>> LJP

that did not keep up to its commitment.

Hence, instead of working TO BUILD HIS

party and win at least one more or two

more seats in the National Assembly,

he chose to abandon his ship and the

people, the indigenous people WHO VOTED

for him in 2020

and general and regional elections.

M Mr. Speaker,

>> honorable member Mr.

>> Honorable member

Mr.

>> Mr. Schuman, I must let you know that W

is here to stay and will stay for a long

time.

We

>> we have Yes. AP and YouTube. Yes.

We

[laughter]

we have created a history in the

political sphere of this country where

we campaigned for almost 90 days

before September 1st elections and were

able to secure 16 seats. I repeat, 16

seats in the National Assembly.

>> Imagine,

>> my brother, you had 5 years. The

indigenous people gave you that

opportunity to campaign to increase the

number of seats. But what you did is

allow the LJP to disappear and reduce

its seat to zero.

I don't know.

>> I don't know who

>> or which party you are representing now

because we only know about the PPPC

government. I haven't heard anything

about PPPC LJP

[laughter]

investment in the LJP.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> allow me now to extend a heartfelt

thanks to the committed staff of the

Ministry of Finance.

Also the along with the minister

responsibility with responsibility for

finance the regional counselors of

regions 1 to 10 and all other ministries

and departments for the hard work that

they put in crafting this budget of

2026.

Mr. Speaker,

I submit from the outset that the

figures of 1.58

trillion dollars means nothing to the

ordinary gy who are living under abject

poverty.

What matters is not that it is the

largest budget ever

>> but rather what matters are the

deliverables.

>> In fact what matters is the values for

the money spent.

>> Did the are the gy enjoying better

living standard

>> especially the vulnerable ones living in

the hintterland?

and remote communities.

>> Are there expectations being met?

>> Perhaps and maybe, Mr. Speaker, the 58%

of poverty rate could have been

significantly reduced if careful

consideration and consultation were done

with all the stakeholders

including the members of the opposition.

Correct. Correct.

>> What we observe,

however, is more monies being poured

into usual projects like public

infrastructure,

whether it be building a road, new

secondary schools or stateofthe-art

regional hospitals. Mr. Speaker, it is

time the government sit to review and

analyze the performance of some of these

contractor contractors that are being

awarded to families, friends, and

favorites

who seems to have little or no

experience in building a road, airship,

school, or hospital.

Mr.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> I wish to to mention

>> the school um Jawala and Philippi

Secondary School which was budgeted for

last year 2025

and to this date

is not nowhere near to completion.

It therefore means

>> the children of the upper Mazuni

continue to sit in overcrowded

classrooms

>> and overcrowded dormitories

at the lone secondary school that is

known as Desri Fox Secondary School.

I was even looking at some of the

>> some of the result um of the schools

awarded to of some of our children.

Could you imagine they had Jawala

secondary school

>> and this school has not been completed.

>> Oh my god.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> dangerous. We all have experience and

have knowledge that when projects are

not completed on time,

>> it is costly

>> and the beneficiaries are delayed the

essential and necessary services.

>> This, Mr. Speaker

>> brings me to highlight the terrible

state of some of our roads through the

length and breadth of this country.

Roads that lead to farms or what we call

farm to market roads. roads that lead to

our gold mines and logging concessions

like the Bartika Potaro road or Bartika

Isanu Itabali and Quaani just to name a

few

>> the main roads in Bartika Mr. Speaker

>> and right here in Georgetown

>> are laced or decorated with many

potholes

Mr. Speaker, some of our air strips in

the hinterland have now joined the ban.

>> Some of our air strips have potholes,

Mr. Speaker, which pose danger to the

pilots and the passengers.

I recently traveled to Kaikon just a few

months ago and that was the experience I

had

>> at the Kaikon trip. I am hoping that the

people of Kaikon and all other

hinderland communities where the air

strips need repairs and upgrade can

enjoy a good life safe traveling to and

from Georgetown back to their homes.

>> Mr. Speaker, our role therefore as

opposition is to ensure that public

expenditure delivers measurable

outcomes, especially for those gym

geographically distant from decision

making centers, but no less entitled to

the benefits of development.

>> Mr. Speaker,

let me now turn our attention

to address some of the

>> other public utilities especially in our

hinterland regions and I am here

representing the CUNI Maseruni region

electricity.

Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Speaker,

despite repeated commitments, many

hintterland and remote areas continue to

experience limited hours of electricity.

And here

>> at this time in this august house, I

wish to advocate for the people of

Cameroon who for years have lived and

experienced the limited access of only 4

hours of electricity supply. Mr.

Speaker,

>> 4 hours of electricity supply that is

dependent on costly and unreliable

diesel system.

I am humbly asking for at least 12 hours

of electricity supply for the residents

of Kamaranga Waters.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> if this request

or recommendation

is taken on board to ease the burden of

spoiled goods,

>> especially fresh fish and other fresh

meats that are experienced by the small

miners and residents of Camearang.

will surely if this recommendation is

taken on board and this year budget

caters for this expansion of the

electricity supply,

we will surely we can surely say that

the budget is putting the people first.

>> Mr. Speaker, as I was reading through

the budget after listening to the

minister's

budget speech, at one time I was asking

myself,

is this really the people's budget?

Is it the people's budget or is it the

people's temple?

You know, the people's temple came to my

mind. Are we going down the path of

economic suicide in this country?

>> Only time will tell. Mr. Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker,

water, another utility,

which is necessity

and essential.

Mr. Speaker, access, Mr. Speaker, access

to safe water remains uneven,

>> especially in our hintterland

communities.

>> We are concerned that maintenance of

existing system is inadequate

and the quality persist in vulnerable

communities.

This is a problem almost everywhere in

this country.

Yes sir.

>> And we need to fix it. And we need to

fix it now.

>> Correct.

>> Because if this 2026 budget cannot fix

it, well then I don't know when

>> it will be

>> it will be fixed.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to talk a little bit

more about aviation.

>> Our hinterland air strips

>> public investment must be guided by

strategy,

>> not simply sustained by annual

allocations.

>> Mr. Speaker far communities in the

interior air far communities in the

interior

air strips our lifelines connecting them

to the much needed health care education

markets and the state itself.

Yet the opposition continues to receive

reports of poor drainage and rapid

surface deterioration of these air

strips of these air strips. Inconsistent

maintenance schedules,

>> rehabilitation works that do not endure

beyond one or two rainy seasons.

I therefore ask respectfully but firmly

what institutional reforms accompany

this spending to ensure durability,

safety and value for money.

Mr. Speaker, you would have seen on

social media recently a patient

being transported from Chinowing village

in a hammock

being fetched by two men, two or four

men

and

the patient in pain groaning.

The men have to bring him down the

mountain. I climbed that mountain so I

know how it feels.

>> What it feels to climb that mountain and

to come down that mountain.

>> They will bring the patient

>> to the landing in order to catch a boat

to bring the patient down to Imbamadai

or to Camarang so that he could be

transported. And this happened because

the air strip

is closed for maintenance.

>> And so when we we're not against

repairing and maintenance of the air

strip, but there has to be systems in

place

>> to cater for emergencies.

>> Mr. Speaker, this brings me to the to a

cry to the cry of an indigenous boy, an

indigenous girl from Amokai

who has to walk

to school,

a far good distance on slushy and muddy

road. He or she is being forced to walk

bare feet because the child doesn't want

his footwear to be dirty. He wants to

look presentable when he enters his

classroom.

I am hoping that this budget will have

or put aside some monies so that

immediate works can be done on that

ammoi and kimal kimalu road in Philippi.

The children

are shouting and the children are

crying.

The children read a lot about what is

happening in the country.

The children knows that we have

resources

that can be used to improve their

standard of living because they are our

leaders for tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker,

infrastructure investment

without parallel institutional

strengthening

exposes citizens to unnecessary risk.

We on this side of the house maintains

that regulatory competence is as

critical as physical construction.

Electricity,

water and telecommunications remains the

backbone of development. Mr. Speaker,

>> Mr.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> Mr. Uh speaker, let me now talk a little

bit more about

>> region 7. I want to touch on the

culture, youth and sports.

It was interesting to listen to the

minister within the Ministry of Culture,

Youth and Sports,

>> passionately presenting his budget

speech about community grounds that are

now being lit and young people can go to

Bat Settlement and I can't remember the

communities he mentioned that they can

switch the lights on

>> and play football or basketball in the

evenings or in the night.

>> Mr. Speaker, Mr. Minister, it would be

so nice too if the young people of KCO

village,

>> Bartika Community Gr,

Mon Gripper Hill Community Grated

and lighten up so that the young people

can turn on the switch and play football

in the evenings.

>> Right.

>> What is reality on the ground? The

reality on the ground in KCO, Mr.

speaker is that they were given a

secondhand or secondhand brand new

generator

which did not last. Right now the

generator is down. The flood lights are

up on the post

but cannot be lit because of no

electricity supply.

>> Mr. Speaker, we all want our young

people to be meaningfully and gainfully

occupied.

>> And if this and if we are talking about

pe putting people first, these are the

things that we have to look into.

Look into our young people.

Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Speaker,

>> I now want to address our communities in

regions 1, 8, and 9 who also voted for

the WIN.

They too would like to enjoy

the community grounds that are lighted

up.

>> Right.

>> They too would like to have access to

clean and safe water.

>> They too would like to have

completed and safe air strips. I know

that some of the air strips are new like

Perema,

I shelton and I heard and read in

>> in Yes, I will talk about that just now.

Ada took [laughter]

>> Pereima took a long time because like I

said before

>> monitoring

>> collapse.

>> Yes. and system that was put in placeer

>> was lacking

>> sheriff

>> and it's the same thing that is

happening with Jawala and Philippi

schools

>> we welcome the reduction

cost of the airfare but is it only Mr.

Speaker, for those communities that have

new air strips,

is it the fault of the people in the

communities whose air strips were not

maintained and still now has to pay the

high cost of fair in and out of these

communities. For example, presently

to fly into Camearang and out is almost

76,000. 16,000 to come out and almost

60,000 to go in.

>> Looking at the measures in this budget,

when I look at the measures in this

budget,

the $5,000

increase to our pensioners.

Just think about a pensioner who wish to

visit the city perhaps for recreation or

to visit his family or friends.

where the transportation the annual

transportation allowance of 20,000

>> can fly out but may not be able to fly

in

>> and if he decides to go to the Amian

hostel

>> he will want to fly out with speed

>> because we also

We all saw what was going on in that

Amarindian hostel right here in the

heart of Georgetown.

>> The deplorable conditions.

>> Sad.

>> Very sad.

>> Very sad.

>> Is this how we put our indigenous

peoples first?

>> The first people putting the first

people first.

Not to say monies were budgeted, Mr.

Speaker,

monies were budgeted for rehabilitation

in 2024.

An additional 24 million was allocated

and approved in this house for

maintenance, repairs and supply of

equipment for the Amarindian hostel.

>> [laughter]

>> We now have to ask the question

did we get value for the money spent?

>> Of course the absolutely no

host.

>> I will also make mention of if that is

happening right here in Georgetown, you

could only imagine the Amarindian host

that are in the outlying areas.

The one in Letham,

the one in Mabaruma, the one in Bartika,

the one in Maruka and the one in

Cameang.

The Armenian hostel in Cameang is in

dire need of repairs. And

[laughter]

>> and there is a need for beds.

>> Yeah. When the people come from these

outlying communities,

they come there if there are any, the

matrases are thin as razor blade.

>> Mr. Speaker, when we talking about

putting people first,

we have to have in our mind

our indigenous brothers and sisters.

>> My sister Sarah Brown

my sister Sarah Brown, the minister, the

honorable minister, she has a lot on her

shoulders

>> to fix, but don't be afraid.

>> We on this side of the house will help

you by exposing.

We will continue to expose

what needs to be corrected.

>> And it is your sole duty, miss my

sister, to ensure that our people

receive

>> value for money, quality life, and to

get you an extension.

>> Mr. Speaker, I kindly ask that the

honorable member be given five minutes

to complete her.

>> Thank you very much. Honorable member,

you may continue.

>> Feel it for

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> For you're there right now, you're doing

nothing.

>> Those are just some of the few struggles

our first people continue to experience.

>> Oh my god. disappear. Now,

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> billions, whether it be billions

>> or trillions

that our indigenous people receive from

lowcarbon credits

or from any other source,

>> they have that right

to enjoy like anybody else in this

country.

>> Yes. Yes. Yes.

>> Mr. Speaker,

Guyana's development

trajectory. I will now talk about some

recommendations.

As I prepare to close,

our country's development trajectory

requires

one

>> strategic aviation planning

enforcable standards for hintterland air

trips

right

>> that's why it failed aviation

>> transparent reporting and accountability

ility

>> consultations,

>> ethic,

>> free, prior and informed consent

>> with our indigenous communities

and this is the right that they have.

Our people, all gy

deserve well.

They deserve equitable distribution of

our country's wealth and resources.

And unless

>> and until that happens, then I can join

with you to say yes, we are putting the

people first.

But we can't do that. We can't do that.

>> Mr. Speaker,

10.

>> The resources of this country must not

only be for a few.

>> It is to be enjoyed.

It belongs to all of us.

ALL OF US in this house,

>> our families,

>> our relatives, our great grandchildren,

our serving wealth must be able to serve

our great great ch grand grandchildren

to come.

You must leave a legacy

when you leave

from that side of the house

>> to come to this side of the house

>> because I must let you know W

has grown stronger from the 1st of

September.

>> Come on. and W will continue to work on

the ground to garner more votes. Come

2036,

the people will the 2030, sorry, the

people 313

2030 2031

the people

will say again enough is enough and we

need a change and believe me that change

will come. I thank you Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, honorable member.

And now

>> for the honorable member, Mr. Sherah

Duncan,

>> Mr. Speaker, very good afternoon.

>> I hope I trust I can do that justice.

A very good afternoon to all of our

colleagues on all sides of the house

this afternoon.

Let me start by responding to some of

what Minister of Agriculture Zulfukar

Mr. said. The honorable member

he rattled off at a number of projects

that he says that the ministry is doing.

But my experience has been unless you

don't scrutinize this government here,

you cannot take anything for granted

that they say

>> and that is part of the hard work of

scrutiny that the opposition has.

Now,

>> we are going to trust.

>> We're going to trust, but we verify

>> because they're going to come here with

all kinds of words

>> and scenarios and so on. But unless you

don't know, you might run away thinking

that all is well, but all is not well.

This is a government that would come

here and lecture us on democracy and

take three months to swear in the leader

of the opposition.

They would come and lecture you. We

believe in democracy. We brought it back

in 1992.

But take three months and then they

would take even longer with the chairman

of Lynen Region 10.

SO UNLESS YOU scrutinize them and you

understand what is happening, you can

take a lot for granted.

But this is the year we can drill down

in the government.

>> We can drill down in y'all.

>> Now if you IF YOU LISTEN TO THE

GOVERNMENT, if you listen to the

government, you would think it's one

person in this country who is sanctioned

if you go by the government. YEAH,

>> BUT WHATEVER HAPPENED to May Tucson and

Thomas

>> WHO SAT IN THE HALLOWED HALLS OF THE PPP

on the central executive

>> member you're just treading on the

standing orders.

>> Okay. All right. So, you run

>> those former high ranking uh public

officials

>> who former formerly occupy the halls of

the Ministry of Home Affairs. And then

you have and and then you have certain

others too, high ranking members of THE

GHANA POLICE FORCE

>> WHO are sanctioned AND STILL ON THE JOB

EARNING MONIES.

>> SO, WE GOT TO BE FAIR. BUT IF YOU GO BY

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT tells you,

>> we are going to be going down a wrong

road. Now I want us to understand that

the honorable member Mr. Pande served

under the PPP AND IT WAS ALL WELL AND

GOOD UNTIL HE HAD A DIFFERING OPINION

AND THEN SUDDENLY WE KNOW THAT HE'S

INCOMPETENT. ONCE YOU WANT TO GO

SOMEPLACE ELSE OTHER THAN THE PPP,

you're incompetent.

>> So I want us to understand that as well.

Big budgets

must fix things in a country, not only

infrastructure. All that Don has said

and all the other members on this side

of the house have said big budgets must

fix problems in this country, Mr.

Speaker.

>> And part of that scrutiny, Mr. Speaker,

has to happen in the National Assembly

through the committees that are geared

TO SCRUTINIZE WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS

DOING. And so denying those committees

from their operation is part of rolling

back the democratic process in this

house.

>> Now this IS A THIS IS A GOVERNMENT who

will tell you about press freedom and

press freedom day and all we have done

and how we respect the media BUT THEY

CONTINUE TO LOCK OUT THE MEDIA FROM THE

PEOPLE'S HOUSE. AND MR. SPEAKER, I am

condemning that in the strongest

possible terms that we have sharply

restricted the independent media's

access from these parliamentary

proceedings, Mr. Speaker. And that is a

very troubling move, Mr. Speaker, and a

break from democratic norms and

longstanding parliamentary practice in

this country. And this house must

immediately, Mr. Speaker, resin the

restraints and restore full unfettered

access to all accredited media.

>> Honorable member,

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> what are you restoring? Tell me.

>> Tell me.

>> All of the media in this country as I've

said who are accredited for accessing

this house unrestricted. That is what

I'm asking to be restored. And also, Mr.

I want to turn your attention and the

clock is running.

>> Of course.

>> Of course.

>> No surprises there.

Standing order 110. Come on.

>> Page 59 of the standing order 110.

The speaker may grant

a general permission

>> stop the clock

>> to the representative of any media to

attend sittings of the assembly

under such rules as the national

assembly

>> stop the clock

>> may make

>> from time to time.

If such rules are contravened,

>> such permissions may be revoked.

>> So you can bring a motion

to the house,

have it debated,

pass, and I will implement those.

In the meanwhile,

>> what has existed

in this house up to the end of the last

sitting of the 12th Parliament

of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana

has been expanded.

Thank you.

>> That position was established

in consultation

with the Guyana Press Association.

So when you speak of full unfreated

access to the media, be careful.

I never know. And those who have been

here covering

for whatever time I have been in here

since 1992.

Couple of us are the institutional

memory of this house.

Many of us sat

for months

and went through these standing orders.

So you have an option. You can mislead

>> persons

>> who want to go down that road

>> or you can bring a motion

>> until then.

>> I will continue to ensure

>> that the media,

>> the private media as well as the state

media

have access.

>> No one is being restricted from covering

the proceedings of this house.

>> We establish two positions.

>> All right, Mr. Speaker,

>> continue.

>> You have to talk to you now. I'm the

speaker.

When the speaker stands,

Manzun de you don't need to respect but

this position. Yes.

There is a station downstairs any amount

of media could go and the Guyana Press

Association decides how they rotate.

So I'm going to strike what you said. I

have that authority as speaker. I'll

give you five minutes extra.

>> Thank you,

>> Mr. Speaker.

>> Always gracious.

>> Mr. Speaker, I would like your take also

in the standing orders on why committees

have not met since parliament resumed on

the 3rd of November 2025.

>> That being said,

that being said, Mr. Speaker,

>> the point I want to make is unless you

scrutinize, that is the point I was

making and the importance of committees

in the National Assembly to scrutinize

and the importance of the media in a

democratic society to help in that

process. We're going down the wrong

road.

>> That is a larger point I want to make.

But I understand why we would go down

that road because of what is in the

budget.

>> All right.

>> Yes. and you don't want the OPPOSITION'S

VOICE TO GET out there and to make sense

for the people because of what you have

in the budget. IT IS EASY TO come here

and to say all the nice things you say.

But as I said, as part of that scrutiny

process, WHEN YOU GO ON THE ground and

you marry what is being said here to

what is on the ground, there is a

dislocation.

>> Divorce,

>> IT IS DIVORCED FROM REALITY.

>> I was on the ground in region one. I was

followed by the honorable minister of

public works and the honorable minister

of of um of Amarindian affairs and I'm

happy to have seen them following us on

the ground there. They suddenly went

into project inspection mode in region

one. And I'm happy. I'm I'm honestly

happy because if we do meaningful and

well done projects, the people of this

country benefit from it and we all

benefit from it.

BUT THE MINISTER THEN PASSED AROUND

HOSERORA SECONDARY School and see what

we're handing over to the indigenous

children in this country on a face basis

after spending $3 BILLION OF TAXPAYERS

MONEY. HE DIDN'T PASS THERE.

HE DIDN'T PASS AND SHOW US THE MOANO

stellin and the other stellin and the

one in port kauma when the post were

falling down and the telling the falling

into the river there and unless we had

brought um brought this matter to the

public

attention it would not have been where

IT IS. HE DIDN'T SHOW US THAT.

>> He didn't show us THAT

>> LIKE YOU DON'T WATCHING THE RING. SO

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE

happening that are being glossed over in

the process. And Mr. Speaker, I get the

sense of when I see where the budget

speech went and where the budget

estimates are that again there's a

disconnect and part of the problem IS WE

DO NOT have in a finance minister well

the senior minister in the office the

president responsibility for finance

actually saying

WHO ACTUALLY GOES around to see what THE

MONEY HE IS REQUESTING IS DOING IN THIS

COUNTRY. That is the problem we have.

They stay in their ivory towers in their

$80 million Volvo vehicles AND THEY

PONTIFICATE WHILE THE PEOPLE'S money is

being wasted. AND THAT IS WHY DAWN CAN

TELL us what is happening in Ramadan.

THAT IS WHY SHE CAN TELL US WHAT is

happening in Karasa Bible with the

secondary school. THAT IS WHY WE KNOW

WHAT'S happening in Tabachinga. But

billions of dollars THAT ARE WASTING

AWAY AND THEN YOU come back and you ask

for billions more and you say we're

doing all this wonderful work.

YOU ALL DON'T GO AROUND.

>> AND so the unre member comes and he

tries to ridicule Mr. CRUZ. HE WANT TO

TELL MR. CRUZ HOW TO BE AN AMARINDIAN.

MR. JACOBS.

>> HE GOES TO MARUKA ONE TIME AND THEN HE'S

a specialist on Maruka. [laughter]

AND FOR 23 YEARS, THE MARUKANS HAVE

ENDURED THAT ROAD FROM Maruka to the

other end of it. What is the name of the

place?

>> YOU HAVE ENDURED THAT ROAD. I WENT IN

THAT ROAD. WE GOING DOWN A HILL. THE car

start going sideways.

>> Spin around three times.

>> AND YOU KNOW HOW THE GOVERNMENT GOES

FROM TO KABANA. NO, THEY FLY.

THEY FLY IN THE CHARTERED PLANES. THAT

IS WHY THE ROAD IS IN EFFECT. THEY FLY

>> CHARTERED PLANES

and he's a veteran.

>> NEVER PLAY INTERNATIONAL CRICKET TODAY.

BUT HE'S a veteran.

YOU KNOW WHY THE HONORABLE MINISTER WENT

AND OPENED THE PEREMA AIRRIP? BECAUSE

WHEN HE OPENED IT THE FIRST TIME, THE

FIRST PLANE THAT LAND SUNK IN THE AIR

STRIP. Y'ALL ARE WASTING TAXPAYERS MONEY

IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> DON'T COME AND TELL US YOU HAVE BRING

DOWN THE COST OF FOOD AND YOU HAD TO FIX

THE STREET TWICE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> DON'T DO IT. THAT'S RIGHT.

>> I WENT TO BABARUMA RECENTLY. NO,

>> it was a special to me when I went to

Babaruma

>> and published the photographs of the age

trip.

>> My mother and father met in Babaruma.

What do you know?

>> A young teacher greeting a gentleman

from Babaruma. She got a little

distracted and you know what?

>> I'm here. [laughter]

THAT AIR STRIP WAS NOT FIXED since my

mother and father met in Babaro.

>> Wow.

>> Until now when that contract was issued.

And you want to come here and tell us

what people PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST. HOW

MANY TRILLIONS HAVE YOU EARNED SINCE

2020 IN THIS COUNTRY? YES.

>> THE LARGER POINT I want to make is the

further out we go as a country,

THE DEEPER THE DECAY and the NEGLECT IS.

>> YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT FIXING air

strips? FIX THE ONE IN CHINA. HOW MUCH

THEY PAY FOR COOKING GAS MINISTER in

embadai? $16,000

A BOTTLE.

>> $16,000.

WHAT WE PAY $4,500 OF THE COURSE FOR.

I'LL BE WORKING HERE

>> AND YOU COULD TELL PEOPLE YOU ONLY

BRINGING ON THE AIRFARE for airship that

you have fixed.

>> What are you doing?

>> The shame on you man.

>> 5 YEARS MINUS OIL MISS MADAM TIRA 5

YEARS MINUS OIL.

>> So let us talk about that.

>> Let us talk about that.

>> We did enough to keep

>> 5 years minus oil. We did a lot.

>> So let ME TALK ABOUT IT. I WANT TO COME

to this whole notion. the farther out we

go

>> to keep you

>> and as I said and I say this with

humility if houses are built

>> in the sector and our people can benefit

from it

>> it's a good day for all of us as G

people

>> that's right that's right

>> shelter is one of the most important

thing and I'm certain all of us here

have those aspirations

of owning our own home

>> but own home own homeship ownership

ownership

has gotten so difficult under this

government

>> OWNERSHIP. NOW,

>> I'LL TELL YOU THIS. I'll tell you this.

Here, here are the numbers. The

government's numbers. Some of you all

don't follow anything else. Here, here

are the government's numbers. They've

claimed they're going to put an asterk

next to everything. They've given out 43

53,000 allocations.

They will tell you they've made 53,000

allocations. And then they'll tell you,

we've given out 25,000 titles. Bear that

in mind because in the honorable

minister's speech, his budget speech, he

made the point and he's right that that

a title gives you the opportunity to go

to the bank.

>> Mhm.

>> And if you tell me you have given out

25,000 titles, you've allocated 10

53,000 HOUSE LOTS. HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN'T

GO TO THE BANK?

>> 28,000.

>> HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN'T GO TO THE BANK IN

THIS COUNTRY?

And then

>> when you look at it, the further out you

go, the worse the allocation is. Now,

that's what they tell you.

>> The honorable minister of

>> the honorable minister of American

affairs

>> had an end of year statement. They don't

give press conferences anymore because

they don't like questioning. The

honorable minister of housing, he had a

statement, a video statement.

Honorable member

sir Brown said that

16,000 plus 100 and something else was

given out in titles to the indigenous

mind you said totally 25,000 titles were

given out now even in indigenous

hintterland communities 16,000

given out for the other regions how much

were shared how many were shared and

coming around to the crux of the matter

that when you see a small pool of houses

looking flashy and so on, YOU CAN'T EVEN

TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED BECAUSE WHEN YOU

go on the ground and you inspect, you

see the decadence and the decay.

>> I was in 5 miles

quite recently.

You got houses there. They can tell you,

"Oh, we can move families in here and

we've allocated it and the families have

paid.

The houses about they're supposed to

build about 100. They've done about 20.

And of the 20 all got defects.

>> What?

>> A contractor was brought in TO CURE THE

EFFECTS. AND THAT CONTRACTOR has

abandoned the project.

>> There's a man.

>> HE HAS ABANDONED THE PROJECT THERE.

Putting people first.

>> You go to

>> Pork Bridge in region 9. I've been there

>> recently. I want housing and homes for

every person in this country

>> because you're poor in this country.

>> You are loted 2x4. When you open your

hands like this in a house in pork

bridge, one given by the government, you

touching both walls, you throw down your

towel is wall to- WALL CARPET. OUR

PEOPLE MUST BE HOUSED WITH DIGNITY IN

THIS COUNTRY.

IF PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE FOR HOMES IN

THIS COUNTRY AND YOU PUT A MIC IN THEIR

FACE, WHAT WILL THEY SAY? I'M very

grateful, Minister. Thank you so much.

BUT COULD YOU IMAGINE 10 people in a

house that measures that wide, Mr.

Speaker?

>> Can you imagine that? When we went

knocking on the door just to find out

how things are going, you know what

people tell us? It's so many of them in

the little house. They got to come

outside to turn around to GO BACK

INSIDE. YOU CAN'T TURN AROUND IN THE

HOUSE.

YOU GOT TO COME outside

and go back in. We got to house people

in this country WITH DIGNITY.

>> WE GOT to house them with dignity.

>> But you know what? They're going to come

and tell us about allocations.

Are

>> they come and tell us?

>> You need an extension.

>> Thank you very much Mr. Speaker.

>> M Mr. Speaker, I move for the honorable

member to be given five minutes to

conclude his presentation.

>> Thank you, honorable member. You may

continue.

>> Thanks, Mr. Speaker. They're going to

come and tell us, "Oh, we built um y'all

never do nothing app. Y'all build 300

houses." They won't tell you we didn't

have oil and gas money. We didn't have

oil money to do it. And we did a lot of

other things in that industry. Case in

point, case in point. Case in point.

Remember, we have graciously loaned them

the theme putting people first cuz that

is what we have done. The allocation

model has failed THE GOVERNMENT. THE

GOVERNMENT HAS failed on the allocation

model. As a matter of fact, people are

applying in such quantities THEY CAN'T

EVEN PRINT THE allocation letters fast

enough. And they have told us you HAVE 8

78,000 APPLICATIONS, NOT ALLOCATIONS,

78,000 APPLICATIONS. And that is why

they will tell you region 4 is a special

case. We can't deal with region 4 as

yet. That is part of the problem. Now on

that by that same metrics

78,000 applications they have only done

according to them if you believe the

numbers put an asterric next to it 4,000

HOUSES IN 5 YEARS TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS

AND THEY tell us they've only done 4,000

houses BUT BECAUSE THE ALLOCATION MODEL

HAS failed they're now switching to

building homes.

Now, that's that that that looks a

little familiar to me. That looks like

housing solutions.

>> That looks like housing solutions in the

manifesto of the 2020 Avenue government.

>> BUT HERE'S THE CRUX OF IT. BUT TRILLIONS

of dollars and at full capacity, you

could only do 4,000 homes IN 5 YEARS.

THEY'RE COMING TO TELL US THEY'RE DOING

40,000 IN THE NEXT FIVE.

>> MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

MET NO CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT. AS A MATTER

OF FACT, THE CAPACITY IS THE PROBLEM.

>> THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE SCHEMES THAT ARE

HALF FINISHED like the one in um in Poke

Bridge in in um region 9, the very one

that we saw in 5 MILES. THAT IS WHY IN

EP ENTERPRISE RIGHT ON THE EAST COAST,

WE DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR RIGHT IN

NONPAREL AND THE EAST COAST THOSE

SCHEMES ARE UNFINISHED.

We have to give people the dignity of

housing in this country. No longer can

we give them land

>> or not EVEN HOUSE IN THE LAND IF YOU

CAN'T FLUSH THE TOILET IN THE HOUSE.

>> WE GOT TO GIVE THEM WATER. WE GOT TO

GIVE THEM ELECTRICITY.

People got house in LP Enterprise. They

got to buy solar. They got a truck in

water. $8,000 a barrel security. Soon as

we went there, the first woman we met

said as Steve Bardinh, security is poor.

So every house allocation should be met

with light, water, good drainage and

proper security at a minimum.

I want to close, Mr. Speaker.

>> I want to close

>> on a pet project of this government,

Silica City. Oh, they speak in glowing

terms

of silica smart city and city of the

future and so on.

I went to Silica City.

>> My god. Kurukuru, you take a long drive

in. You see when you're going into

Kurukuru concussion road, that's a

>> abortion.

>> Abortion.

>> You see, by the time you gone down at

the back by Silica City,

>> road smooth to blood [laughter]

$35,000

is the cost of a house at minimum.

>> Million.

>> Million.

Nobody moving yet.

>> They got light,

>> they got water,

>> they got roads, they got trades.

>> Silica City is the next PR bill too. But

I'll show you something.

>> I show you where the emphasis is and why

we got to rethink government. This

government will tell you this is a a

city of the future. You don't see it on

the ground. As a matter of fact, when we

were there, there quite a few homes

there. You had about 10 contractors

working on the ground because I tell you

the capacity, they got to put 10 here,

five over, so three over. So, AND

NOTHING GETS DONE. I WANT TO CHALLENGE

this government. I want to challenge

this government. Since 2020 to now,

TRILLIONS of dollars later, show us one

housing scheme you have completed

according to specification ON PAPER.

SHOW ME ONE HOUSING SCHEME TRILLIONS OF

DOLLARS LATER. You have completed

according to specification and you've

handed it over.

>> Show it to us. Now Silica City,

I want to believe them with what they

tell us in Silicon City. How special it

is. Senator City in the estimates has a

minor position between two housing

scheme that are ordinary. There is no

special mention. There is no special

write up on Silicon City, this

innovative city of the future and all of

that

>> about private.

>> It's it's a it's a PRIVATE SEAT, BUT

THEY'RE COMING FOR FUNDING IN THIS VERY

HOUSE HERE. MR. SPEAKER,

>> security and nobody living there, right?

>> Security

and nobody is living there. But people

are living in nonparel but it has no

security.

>> Mr. Speaker, I close as I said our role

I think as legislators is not to expose

for the sake of expose but it's part of

the scrutinizing process to get it right

but don't come and lecture us here like

we don't know what is happening like we

don't know who got house in Florida and

who sell chocolateate and you got

ministers here

living in lavish mansions to rival the

Amanis of India

and they will TELL YOU THAT I BORN WITH

MONEY.

I BORN WITH MONEY.

>> BUT LOOK AT the houses around them.

>> If you want to see

>> the decadence in the look at the houses

around them. When I was in Lem, I WENT

TO SEE HOW THE ARO LIVED. MY GOD.

>> AND LOOK HOW the people around the ARO

lives and the size of THEIR HOMES. THE

ROAD UP TO THE ARO AND BECAUSE THE ARO

lives there IS THAT IS THAT equity

>> is that IS THAT HOUSING JUSTICE IN THIS

COUNTRY

>> MR. Speaker we got to rethink this thing

>> that's what people think

>> we want we all of us here are part of

government Mr. speaker and we want to

get it right. We want to get it right

and I believe still there's a mismatch

between what's in the budget

presentation, what is in these

estimates. I know we're going to get a

chance next week to scrutinize it and

there's a total mismatch with what's

happening on the ground.

>> Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much honorable member.

>> I now invite the honorable member

>> Minister of American Affairs, the

honorable member Sarah Brown.

>> This is a parliamentary secret.

Nobody.

>> Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

>> Mr. Speaker,

>> I rise for the first time in this house

as Minister of Family Affairs.

>> Leaving with pride, Mr. Speaker, to

support my colleague Dr. Ashnne Singh

and budget 2026 as presented before this

honorable house.

>> Mr. Speaker, from the banks of the

Maruka River. Yes, I am both humbled and

elated to stand before this honorable

house, the highest in our nation. I

stand here as a woman, a youth, an

Amarindian, a mother, a wife

characteristics once labeled as

marginalized, vulnerable or minority.

Mr. speaker, but characteristics that

are not barriers to the people's

progressive party civic.

I stand here because I stand with a

party that not only prioritizes our

people but invests in them. Mr. Speaker,

I stand here because I know that this

party has historically supported our

people and continues to do so. A party

whose track record speaks for itself and

the party who today in government has

advanced yet again Guyana's largest

budget to date $1.558

trillion presented under the most

appropriate team putting people first.

This team, Mr. Speaker aligns with his

excellency's continued leadership while

continuing to ensure development in

every sector as we move forward

assidiously on our recordbreaking

transformational path setting the record

not only regionally but internationally.

>> Mr. Speaker, I now turn my attention to

the speakers before me.

Starting with Mr. Speaker, honorable

member Don Hastings. Mind you, Mr.

Speaker, when I listen to these people,

you know, it's hard to believe that they

were in government.

>> Honorable Don Hastings, who was in

government for 5 years as a sitting

GOVERNMENT MINISTER, THE HIGHEST as the

minister of state and also the general

secretary of her party, the people's

national congress reform.

>> She sat as quiet as a mouse, Mr. speaker

when land tenure was dormant for 5 years

when 2,000 CSOS were sent home when her

colleague Mrs. Mr. Keith Cot said that

Aberinians were aaricious and WE SHOULD

NOT GET ANY MONEY FROM THE RESOURCES OF

OIL WHERE WAS HER VOICE THEN MR. SPEAKER

>> what were the recommendations and

interventions towards improving the

Amrinian hostel then what was done to

improve the Amrinian hostel Mr. Mr.

Speaker, this member has bet not

betrayed, I don't want to use

unparliamentary language, has turned her

back

>> on the party that made her on the party

that she led as general secretary. Can

we trust her, MR. SPEAKER? WE SEE YOU,

HONORABLE MEMBER. YOU HAVE changed the

color of your clothes, but you have

definitely not changed the fact that you

sat for 5 years in government and did

nothing for people. YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO

DO THE RIGHT THING NOW. AND THAT IS TO

SUPPORT BUDGET 2026 AS presented before

this national assembly.

>> THAT IS QUALITY.

>> MR. SPEAKER, I now turn my attention

>> to my brother

Cruz. Honorable member.

>> Honorable member, please come to the

front of the class.

>> The front of the class

to address this member. Mr. Speaker, I'd

like to refer to my WhatsApp chat that

was sent to me at 1:55 a.m. this morning

by an intelligent young Patamona girl

from Kato region 8. What she sent to me

was a screenshot from the Guyana

Standard which said, and I quote the MP

to say, I [snorts] strongly believe, Mr.

Speaker, that the days for Amarinians to

be living in truly houses should now be

over with all the wealth of this country

has. You can't born, grow, and dead in a

truly house. We want mansions too like

some of the honorable members on the

other side. Here is what Lana Augustus

from Kato region 8 had to say. Good

night minister. This very off this is

very offensive. I hope you will debunk

this nonsense pedal by the opposition.

Traditional homes are not symbols of

failure or poverty. They reflect

culture, climate, knowledge,

sustainability and identity passed down

for generations.

Development should give people choices,

not erase who we are. And what's sad is

when some of our own indigenous brothers

and sisters repeat these narrative

looking down on our TRADITIONAL LIVING.

REAL PROGRESS, MR. SPEAKER, IS CLEAN

WATER, FREE HEALTHCARE, FREE EDUCATION,

ROADS, and opportunities to improve our

livelihoods. And that is what this

government is committed to doing. Not

everyone wants the same definition of

development. Mr. Speaker Luana said

development should never come at the

cost of erasing culture while improving

housing conditions for a vulnerable

family is important and I would like to

point out that government's program to

assist household in part of region 8

when residents were consulted many chose

traditional housing styles.

That choice is important. Our people

have lived in truly untraditional houses

for generations. To generalize and imply

that our way of that our way of life

needs replacing

is to speak down on indigenous people.

Real development is about options,

dignity and consultation.

Something that they have no idea of. Mr.

Speaker,

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to turn my

attention to honorable Mr. Sherah

Duncan, but there are many others that's

coming after me. Battle ready. ALL

RIGHT. BATTLE READY. Many others are

coming after me. But what I'd like to to

know, Mr. Sherid Duncan, is that you sat

in this house, honorable member, for the

last 6 years, and you still cannot

differentiate between Amarindian land

ownership and land ownership on the

coastland. It's something different.

Listen and learn as I speak about land

tenders.

Mind you that this honorable member was

also IN IN IN GOVERNMENT FOR 5 years.

>> But let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, about

budget 2026.

This budget will continue on this

historically transformative path to

further enhance the work that the

government has been executing since our

resumption into office with the aim of

ensuring our development as one Guyana

and it will touch every single household

in our great nation

including our indigenous brothers and

sisters. It will further ensure that we

will continue upon the inclusive and

progressive path of development that

seeks to propel our indigenous rights to

even greater heights.

Mr. Speaker, budget 2026 have once again

budget 2026,

Mr. Speaker,

>> the people have placed their trust by

voting overwhelmingly in favor of the

people's progressive party civic go and

allowing us to sit on this side of the

house in a sweeping majority. To the gy

people, we see you. We thank you. And as

we have delivered on our manifesto

commitments before, rest assured we will

deliver.

But the question I know my Amian

brothers and sisters would like to be

answered by me, Mr. speaker is what does

this budget mean for indigenous people

like myself

>> as Amarindians and persons living in the

hintterland Mr. Speaker we are set to

benefit from every single measure under

this budget as every other gy from the

coast to the hintterland as far as the

macoff flies Mr. Speaker, our newborn

babies will benefit from $100,000

one-off cash grant. Our elderly will

receive $46,000

>> coupled with the annual transportation

grant of $20,000. Every citizen 18 years

and over, including the honorable Dion,

will receive a direct cash transfer of

$100,000. Our school children have

increased because we care cash grant

$6,000 20,000 transportation grant and

what's more 5,000 uniform allowance

bringing it to $8 to $5,000.

It means Mr. Speaker that every child in

public and private school will receive

$8 to $5,000.

And what's best is that most of these

cash transfers will be spent where? In

the local markets, the local shops,

using the local taxi, the local boats,

the local bus.

As a mother of three myself, I know that

this will not only help ensure our

children attend school, but attend

school with all of their supplies. Mr.

Speaker, turning to housing. Last year,

253 of our Amberian villages have seen a

total of $3 million each in housing

subsidy to assist the vulnerable in

villages. Mr. Speaker, the measure

announced by the Minister of Finance

will see people in the Hinterland

benefiting from housing subsidy as is

done on the coastline already. Overall,

these measures will also be a boost to

the local village economies and more so

the small businesses who indirectly will

be the beneficiaries of this massive

cash injection.

Mr. Speaker,

>> what's more, in addition to these many

measures will be the removal of taxes on

ATVs, which will directly enhance our

local transportation and tourism sector,

of which many indigenous villages are

heavily reliant upon to to as their only

mode of transportation, the most

dependable mode of transportation,

especially in the mountains and by road.

While by river, the removal of taxes on

the outboard engines up to 150

horsepower will bring great relief and

benefit to those of us who are living

along the river with no access to road

networks and depend on boats as our only

mode of transportation.

Mr. Speaker, while the opposition

continues to gripe and ignore all the

investments and interventions that have

transformed our lives over the last 5

years, for many of them, Mr. Speaker, as

I always say, if the NAB come, the Nabin

know

>> what we in the PPPC have known all

along. And we have continued to address

in every single PPPC budget, whether

it's in health, education, digital

connectivity, road infrastructure,

housing, a strips, land tenure, access

to water, and many more. Yes, Mr.

Speaker, telly medicine too. Much has

been done, Mr. Speaker. Well done.

>> Yes, much needs to be done and much more

will be done under the People's

Progressive Party Civic starting with

budget 2026 and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, there continues to be

specific interventions through the

Ministry of Amber Affairs to promote and

enhance the social and cultural uh

economic as well well-being of our

villages. Mr. Speaker, permit me to

share to this honorable house how the

major plans of our ministry will be

advanced as a result of this year's

budget. $7.5 billion allocated towards

continued development of the livelihood

of our Amranian brothers and sisters

specifically. This budget represents an

increase from last year, Mr. Speaker,

but it also means that we can further

support communities that we have as we

have done in the past. It means that

where the gaps exist, we can afford to

bridge these gaps by providing such as

transportation such as buses, boats,

ATVs, and other modes of transportation.

And no, Mr. Speaker, no boots that grow.

We will present,

[clears throat]

>> Mr. Speaker, since resuming office, we

have allocated and distributed

400 assets specific to transportation

for the needs of our villages. It means,

Mr. speaker that for educational

purposes the children would not have to

walk or paddle to school for long

distances and this will continue with

budget 2026 and beyond until we have

realized 100% accessibility

[clears throat]

Mr. Speaker, coupled with the major

investments by the Ministry of Public

Works in Hintterland Roads, this

initiative has become a necessity. On

the note of economic growth and and

opportunity, our Amarinian entrepreneurs

will also benefit from the access up to

$3 million in small loan from the Guyana

Development Bank and of course at 0%

interest, allowing us to repay exactly

what was borrowed with no additional

cost.

>> I now turn my attention to LCDs and

Amrinian land titling.

>> Pay attention now, honorable honorable

Sherah Duncan. Mr. Speaker,

>> enough is not being told. Enough is not

being told of the success of Guyana's

lowcarbon development strategy. A

transformative and groundbreaking plan

for national development. A plan that

has set Guyana ahead of our time. A plan

that was implemented without the

reliance on the oil and gas sector.

Following our return to office and after

extensive national consultation, we

expanded this initiative from 2009 to

2030 and this consultation led to direct

allocation into the bank accounts of

Amarindian villages across the

hintterland. To date, Mr. Speaker, as a

result of this strategy, 14.5 billion

has been directly dispersed to villages

to be used for village development. And

what is better is that this is designed

and driven by the residents themselves

who prioritize of how they use these

funds. And Mr. Speaker, it's a travesty

that the newcomers does not understand

how the sale of carbon credit under the

LCDs works. And it's not my place to

school them. But I dare say if they're

committed if they have committed to an

increase to 10% to Amarinian villages in

their manifesto, they should have at

least taken the time to understand the

brilliance of this strategy. Mr.

Speaker,

but what they don't know, Mr. Speaker,

is that if that while the sale of carbon

credits were less, Amaran villages did

not receive less sir. Rather what what

started in 2023 was 15% of the revenue

from the sale of carbon credits were

directly transferred to indigenous and

hintland villages while in 2024 and 2025

26.5%

and 21%