An Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) has called on the government to bear some of the costs attached to basic food items, as Guyanese continue to grapple with the high cost of living.
Last year, thousands of Guyanese lamented the exorbitant prices attached to basic food items, with the government linking the “unavoidable” high markup to a weakened global supply chain that was being pummelled by the effects of COVID-19 and the ongoing Russia/Ukraine war.
Despite the removal of a purported “more than 200” tax measures imposed by Walton-Desir’s government during 2015 and 2020, citizens still took to Facebook and other social media sites last year to exhibit the high prices attached to basic food items. The devasting floods in 2021 exacerbated the situation, resulting in high markups on even locally-produced fruits and vegetables.
Walton-Desir said that there is no plan in the $782B 2023 National Budget to address this issue, noting that the “measly” eight percent public servants’ salary increase and adjustments for 2022 cannot alleviate the pressure imposed. She noted that rather than plugging significant sums of money to lend assistance to the working class, the government has earmarked a whopping $4B for a “failing” sugar industry.
The MP slammed the government also for failing to make provisions in the budget to reinstate free education at the University of Guyana. She said that making education free at the country’s premier tertiary education institution could help respond to the labour needs of Guyana’s expanding oil and gas industry. While she welcomed the increase of the ‘Because We Care Cash’ grants from $25000 to $35,000 per child in 2023, the MP advocated for transportation subsidies.
She noted that the buses that were donated during her APNU+AFC’s time in office to transport schoolchildren are now languishing and gathering rust in the communities.
Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy in response, told the House that the APNU+AFC government had five years to reinstate free education at UG but failed to do so. He reiterated his government’s commitment to eliminate tuition fees before 2025.
He added that while the Opposition continues to cast the blame for the high cost of living at the feet of the governing PPP/C, the APNU+AFC imposed more than 200 tax measures like an “albatross” around the necks of the working class and sent thousands of sugar workers to the breadline after shuttering sugar estates between 2015 and 2020. He added that his government took the initiative to bring relief to citizens by removing and adjusting these measures. He said that the situation could have been worse, had it not been for a “caring” government.
This year, the government has allocated $10B to expand its part-time job initiative, a programme launched last year to provide additional income to families feeling the brunt of the high cost of living. Also, some $3.7B for the management and development of the University of Guyana’s campuses has been allocated.
