Budget 2024 is balanced, shows prudent financial management – Min Persaud

The government is pursuing a path of prosperity and unprecedented development while making constant improvements in the standard of living of its people.

This is according to the Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Anand Persaud as he robustly defended budget 2024 on Monday, stating it is a well-balanced budget.

Minister Persaud was at the time making his budget debate presentation at the Arthur Chung Conference, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

He said that the $1.146 trillion allocations showcase the government’s commitment to transformation and living up to the 2024 National Budget theme, ‘Staying the course, prosperity for all.’

The minister posited that the allocations and measures outlined in the budget show the government’s prudent financial management.

“This budget is fiscally balanced and shows how we plan to manage our financial responsibilities prudently. I say without fear of contradiction that this is the most comprehensive, well-thought-out, and down-to-earth budget that the Senior Minister of Finance has brought to this house on behalf of the Peoples’ Progressive Party Civic,” Minister Persaud strongly upheld.

Highlighting how the large sum was divided between the various sectors, Minister Persaud said that economic growth is expected to spiral and the well-being of citizens will be taken care of in the most advanced manner.

Additionally, comparing how the APNU/AFC handled finance when it was in office, the local government minister assured that the PPP/C government will not make the same mistake, especially when it comes to oil resources.

“Even with oil resources, this PPP/C administration has not lost and will not lose sight of the goal and purpose which is, to have better financial management of oil resources, including oil and gas to catapult Guyana’s development,” the minister posited.

He explained that the government will sustain, while at the same time accelerating the growth that the country has achieved just under three years after the party returned to office in 2020.

According to the minister, this will be done by making sensible decisions and careful planning, while taking into consideration the welfare of the people.

Minister Persaud also briskly argued that the budget was carefully crafted at a time when the entire world was facing many crises, but still, Guyana managed to be a testimony of progress.

“In three years, the PPP was healing the sectors, bringing them back to financial viability while making sound and well-calculated investments in our people. Mr Speaker, this is progress, Mr Speaker, this is growth, Mr Speaker, that is vision,” Minister Persaud blatantly stated as he was cheered on in agreement by his cabinet colleagues.

He said that all plans put forward by the government will keep the country’s economy on the right path.

The National Budget of 2024 was presented in parliament last Monday by the Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh. During that presentation, Dr Singh noted that the budget comes with a plethora of measures to aid in the overall improvement of Guyana.