President, Opposition Leader differ on more money for Guyanese

Last Updated on Monday, 1 January 2024, 2:36 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali. Aubrey Norton.

President Irfaan Ali and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on Monday broke New Year 2024 with different accounts on whether Guyanese are pocketing more money or are grappling with serious poverty.

While the Guyanese leader boasted of a “phenomenal” 40 percent economic growth in 2023, a more than 21.5 percent increase in the salary base of all public servants since 2020, increased the tax threshold from GY$65,000 to GY$85,000 and increased old age
pension by 60%, public assistance by 75%;  Mr Norton said Guyanese were still saddled with poverty.

“Most Guyanese would agree that the PPP made 2023 one of the hardest years in living memory. On the economic front, the cost-of-living kept surging as real incomes declined. Poverty and inequality increased. Living from paycheck to paycheck became a tougher challenge. Many parents, especially single parents, could not afford to properly feed their children,” the Opposition Leader said in his address to the nation.

The President, for his part, acknowledged that there was a spike in cost of living in 2023 and said government doled out GY$5 billion to cushion the impact that was being faced by public servants, teachers, public agencies, farmers, pensioners, community workers and others. However, Mr Norton accused government of doing nothing to ease the impact of escalating cost of living. “This Christmas, many families were forced to spend less. Yet, despite these hardships in 2023, the PPP government showed no urgency, no capacity, and no
concern to ease the burden on the people,” he said.

In addition to increasing the salary base of all public servants by more than 21.5% since 2020, resolving anomalies in the salary of more than 5,000 health workers and 9,000 members of the disciplined services; implementing a series of measures for teachers, costing billions of dollars, to address salaries, allowances, incentives and duty free; the Guyanese leader promised that during 2024 Guyanese would get more pay increases and other payouts to address cost of living.

“Cost-of-living interventions will be made to cushion any spikes in prices in our economy. We want to put more money into the pockets of people. Our policy making matrix will address this ideal and the idea of putting more money in the pockets of our people.

Workers will continue to benefit from increases in their wages and salaries, augmenting the other measures, which we will take to enhance household disposable incomes,” Dr Ali said in his New Year’s address to the Nation.

The Opposition Leader restated his accusation that the People’s Progressive Party Civic-led administration was spending most of the oil revenue to enrich its “friends, families, and favorites” “at the expense of the ordinary people.” He again promised that if elected to government at the next general and regional elections constitutionally due in 2o25, the focus would be on human development and eliminating poverty.

The President said his administration would in 2024 continue to build on achievements in 2023 in the areas of housing, water, sanitation, education and health as well as public security. “Guyanese are going to benefit from improved infrastructural and public services, including water, housing and education. Several major road projects are slated for completion and will make commuting easier,” he said.