Budget 2026 Lacks Human Development Emphasis

Jan 29, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

From the first experience sitting in the national assembly during the 10th parliament observing the Finance Minister’s presentation to this 13th parliament inaugural budget, it has been a piquing curiosity and reverence to the democratic process. Budgets not only propose allocating funds to priority areas the party in power has promised based on its social contract but provides macroeconomic state of the world markets and microeconomic outlook within the country. Budgets also serve as an accountability tool for informing the population on inflows of revenue from taxation, investments and natural resources such as bauxite, gold, diamond, oil & gas industries. Additionally, it zeroes in on financial indicators that the government must commit to foster social, economic and political development.

Deep introspection on budget 2026 warrants the quote by British author, speaker and international advisor Sir Ken Robinson, who posits candidly “You cannot predict the outcome of human development. All you can do is, like a farmer, create the conditions under which it will begin to flourish.” Macroeconomically the IMF states Guyana is seeing unprecedented growth with a Gross Domestic product per capita (per person) at US$80,155 at the end of 2024 which was expected to rise to US$94,260 in 2025. These numbers assume that the wealth from the oil and gas economy trickles down to most of the population based on the government’s ability as the farmer to cultivate human development. While we wait for the seeds of progress to be sown, the masses are experiencing economic deprivation with poverty at an all-time high of 58% (approximately 452,000 citizens) with 32% of this lot living in abject poverty.

Guyanese are now forced to live a Cadillac lifestyle on a donkey cart salary while members of the government present successive budgets to feed themselves, families and friends handsomely. There isn’t an inkling of meaningful human development in this budget that is bloated with mega projects targeting infrastructure, energy and housing appropriations. It is without doubt these sectors are important for Guyana’s development but roads, gas to energy projects and housing developments doesn’t place money in pockets, food on the table and improve social wellbeing of the masses.

As Robinson states government’s role is to sow those seeds of human development by investing in short, medium and long-term initiatives that will ensure economic development. Real economic development starts by paying public servants a livable wage. An GUY$80,000 salary increase across the board for our public sector with benchmarks for performance-based numerations is desirable. The cost is only $US 200 million dollars yearly that is fully funded from the windfall we are experiencing from the oil & gas economy. Given the numbers mentioned above relative to the GDP, the elderly and youth are vulnerable to poverty.

A meagre $46,000/ month is inadequate to pay for rising costs of food and utilities for the pensioners. We hear repeatedly that youths are the future of the country but how can we expect our future to be undernourished, uneducated and ill-prepared for a technologically advanced society? Grants for school uniforms, transportation and “because we care” should never take the form of corporate kickbacks for family and friends, but these programs should be administered purposefully through government agencies.

Paramount to development of our school children is a robust transportation system of gas-powered buses and competent drivers that will ensure safety and security of our precious assets. This budget is not a budget for human development, it is an infrastructure-based budget that will only further the development of the current administration friends, family and favorites. It is without doubt that the country needs to improve its infrastructure by way of roads, bridges and ferries but when this is the primary focus, the average population does not gain access to real human development, and the manifesto promises of the current administration are now a footnote of progress.

Latest News

Budget 2026 Lacks Human Development Emphasis

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Similar Articles

Listen to the The Glenn Lall Show

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Allicock wins Mashramani Blitz Chess Tourney

VIEW ALL SPORTS

Features/Columnists

The mannequins were props, not portraits

Sir. Ronald Sanders

If US Secretary Rubio attends CARICOM Summit – Let It Mark a...

The GHK Lall Column

Pres. Ali expectations dashed

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

> Berbice Bridge […]