Budget 2022 restores hope to Guyanese – Minister Edghill

Budget 2022 will be remembered as the budget that laid the foundation for Guyana, addressing the ‘bread-and-butter issues’ of the working class.

This is according to Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, M.P, as he defended the $552.9 billion budget during the ongoing debate. 

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, MP

“This budget restores hope to Guyanese and bring them out of poverty,” Minister Edghill told the National Assembly.  

The restoration and increase of the school cash grant, the increase in old age pension and public assistance were a few measures listed by Minister Edghill, of how the budget seeks to help the ordinary man and woman.

He however made it clear that a country cannot be developed if the middle class is left behind.

“This budget with the measures that have been put in place, is designed to grow the middle class. If you want evidence of the middle class growing, the Guyana Revenue Authority has just announced that the PAB series has been exhausted in six months and they are about to go into PAC.

The dreams of our young people, public servants are no longer in poverty with bicycles, they are buying their own cars, they are owning their own homes. This budget speaks to ensuring the viability of young people and their families, benefits for their mortgage and their insurance. We have to grow the middle class. We have to reduce the bottom and grow the middle,” Minister Edghill stated.

The minister said government, through budget 2022, is on the path to help eliminate poverty through the measures and programmes outlined in the country’s largest budget to date.

While budget 2022 has no new taxes, it has provisions for tax reductions. The 10 per cent excise tax and the 14 per cent Value Added Tax were removed from motor trucks of any tonnage to transport goods. This is coupled with the removal of the 10 per cent excise tax on new double-cab pickups below 2000 cc.

Additionally, budget 2022 earmarks $5 billion to cushion rising food prices with the reduction in gas and freight prices. A whopping $1.3 billion will be placed in the hands of Guyanese, with the increase in the tax threshold from $65,000 to $75,000.

Budget 2022 was presented on January 26 under the theme ‘Steadfast against all challenges, Resolute in building our One Guyana.’

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