Budget 2021 will revive the economy, improve lives − Minister McCoy

Minister of Public Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Kwame McCoy says the 2021 National Budget reflects the serious measures that the Government sought to put in place to revive the economy.

During his interview on NCN’s “Budget in Focus” on Friday, the Minister said the fiscal package furthers the work started with last year’s Emergency Budget.

“Budget 2021 builds on the fact that we have to continue to work with people and to be able to provide for them and their families, their communities and to make our country successful in terms of our economic management.

From the inception, our programmes sought to keep our promises to the people that we made in the elections campaign, which is absolutely important and is something that we should not take for granted,” he said.

The Minister said the President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali administration believes it is vital to keep its manifesto promises, having been given the people’s vote of confidence.   

“We are happy that the people of this country saw us as the best alternative. So, we had to come into Government and from the inception tried to correct those serious deficiencies of the APNU+AFC, and take that weight off of the backs of our Guyanese brothers and sisters.”

The Minister said in crafting the Budget, President Ali and his team of Ministers held wide consultations, even before coming into office.

“We have been communicating with people. We have listened to them and have developed programmes and initiatives, ideas to take to Government once we were elected.

In keeping with the democratic norms and traditions of consultations with the people, the private sector, other stakeholders of our country, civil society, even the political parties, were consulted in the preparation of this budget. We involved the people,” he said.

The Public Affairs Minister said while he would not pretend that the Budget would give everyone everything they wanted, it is definitely one that would advance the people, communities and the nation.

“I’m excited about the debate and having it implemented for 2021, and really having it have the impact that it is intended to create, that impact of positive development,” Minister McCoy said.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh presented the $383.1 billion fiscal package for 2021 in the National Assembly last week.  The budget debate begins on Monday.

Speaking about his portfolio, Minister McCoy assured citizens the Government considers important their rights and freedom to access information. He said it is important to continue an open line of communication with those persons whom the leaders would have walked with, and asked for their votes. Minister McCoy said the Government would always engage the people and consult them on matters of national interest.