Citizens continue to struggle as cost of living on steady rise-Norton

Mar 10, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton on Friday told the media that citizens are struggling to make ends meet, as the cost of living continues on a steady rise.

Citizens continue to struggle as cost of living on steady rise-Norton

Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton

He said his comments are based on recent interactions with citizens during community outreaches. “The cost-of-living crisis is still with us and is killing our people. People who feel it, know it,” Norton told the news conference. He highlighted that construction materials are out of reach for some persons because of prices, and owners of small businesses are complaining of the slothfulness of sales while their input costs continue to climb.

“Price gouging seems to be on the rise. Transportation costs are on the increase; expenses such as house rent, electricity and other bills remain a burden and are leaving little income for food,” Norton lamented. He noted that some farmers are complaining that their produce sometimes rot on the farms due to the unavailability of markets.

Norton explained that in some instances struggling families are using the $100,000 one off cash grant to pay off their debts owed to landlords, supermarkets and other creditors. “The people told us that the sum of $100,000 or just over $8000 per month over one year can do little or nothing to fundamentally or meaningfully change the standard of living of citizens,” he said.

On January 18 this publication reported that Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh announced this year’s Budget at $1.382 billion, with $9 billion allocated to address the cost of living. , Dr. Singh pointed to a suite of measures that will cost the treasury over $90B, not including the impact of the electricity tariff adjustment and the removal of the excise tax on fuel.

* Some of these measures include $5,000 increase in oil age pension (from $36,000 to $41,000 per month)

* $,3000 increase in public assistance (from $19,000 to $22,000)

* Introduction of $10,000 health voucher to aid in financing health tests

* One-off grant of $100,000 for every newborn baby born in Guyana to a Guyanese mother.

* Increase in income tax threshold from $100,000 to $130,000 monthly.

* Reduction in the Personal Income Tax rate of 28% to 25%

* $10B injection to NIS to assist those aged 60 and above who have not met the 750 minimum contributions to receive old age pensions.

(Citizens continue to struggle as cost of living on steady rise-Norton)

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