WIN alarmed over poverty rates as census data still to be released

Dec 09, 2025 News

…says Guyana’s historic earnings from oil not reflected in communities

(Kaieteur News) – The main political opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) has raised concern over what it believes to be an alarming indication of poverty in communities across the country.

Since contesting the 2025 elections, the party has ramped up its visits to communities across the nation to assess living and working conditions of ordinary citizens. Based on its interactions on the ground, the party is questioning the real reason for government withholding the results of the 2022 census.

WIN alarmed over poverty rates as census data still to be released

Leader of WIN, Azruddin Mohamed

In a statement on Monday, the party explained, “From single mothers stretching a week’s groceries into a month, to young men unable to find stable employment, to pensioners choosing between medication and food, to snake, bat, and pigeon infestations in schools, to no light or water in schools, the stories are the same. Too many Guyanese are being left behind in a supposedly booming economy.”

The party was keen to point out that the country is now recording record earnings, as oil production continues to grow; however, this major growth in revenue is not reflected in the livelihoods of numerous Guyanese.

“Village after village, residents express frustration that despite record oil revenues, their lives have not improved. WIN has been assisting where it can, whether through direct support, advocacy, or mobilizing community-driven solutions. Through it all, WIN maintains that lasting change requires informed, targeted national policy, not guesswork,” the party urged.

To this end, it noted that the lack of census data, nearly three years later poses major difficulties in planning to address issues affecting the population such as poverty.

WIN reasoned, “…nearly three years after the Census (2022) was conducted, Guyana still has no updated population, demographic, or poverty statistics. Without credible data, the government cannot properly plan, monitor, or assess whether its programmes are reaching the people most in need.”

The party argued that the fact that even the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has publicly stated that he is still “awaiting an update” on the report raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability.

“The Minister of Finance’s claim of ignorance about the reason for the delay is significant. It signals either a severe breakdown in governance or an attempt to shield information that rightfully belongs to the public,” WIN added.

The party highlighted, that international institutions estimate poverty in Guyana to be as high as 48–58%. To this end, the absence of official national data only deepens public unease. WIN has called for political messaging to be replaced with policies to lift Guyanese out of poverty. It said communities deserve more than speeches; they deserve an evidence-based plan that responds to their daily struggles. To this end, the group demanded an explanation from the government of Guyana on the prolonged delay of census data. Further, it noted that the administration must ensure that the Bureau of Statistics fulfils its responsibility to the nation and release the full 2022 Census results without further delay. “The Guyanese people deserve honesty, clarity, and a development agenda rooted in truth. We cannot transform lives while navigating in the dark. It is time to align national policy with the lived experiences of our citizens, and that begins with providing the country with the facts,” the party stated.

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Azruddin Mohamed, Census data, oil, poverty, We Invest in Nationhood

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