APNU promises GY$1,000 electricity, water bills

Last Updated on Sunday, 20 July 2025, 9:28 by Writer

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Saturday promised Guyanese rock-bottom electricity and water bills at its latest public meeting in the gold-dependent town of Bartica.

Prime ministerial candidate Juretha Fernandes told party supporters that if APNU wins the September 1, 2025 general and regional elections, the new administration would subsidise those utility tariffs to their lowest ever. “Come the second of September, if your light bill is $11,000, you only go to pay $1,000 because we will be catering for the $10,000. Come the second of September, if your water bill is $6,000, you only got to pay $1,000 because we will be catering for $6,000 because we care for you,” she said.

Ms Fernandes also pledged that an APNU-led administration would reduce the tax on four-door pickups to 15 percent for the benefit of miners. “We understand your struggles and we know transportation is a big one and a four-door pickup should not be a luxury vehicle. You should not be getting tax on it as though it is not something used by miners for them to go into the interior to do the hard work so we will be remedying that,” she said.

Also promised were improved health and education services in Bartica, a GY$120,000 annual allowance for each child, “dignified” distribution of cash transfers, a hike in old age pensions from GY$41,000 to GY$100,000, a 35 percent increase in government employees’ salaries, an increase in the income tax threshold from GY$130,000 to GY$400,000, rent-to-own housing schemes and rental allowances.

“We have heard your cry and we have designed policies that will deliver to you,” she added.

However, the People’s Progressive Party Civic-led incumbent administration had warned against splurging the oil revenues and eventually borrowing to satisfy election promises.