Dear Editor,

Indeed, recent public opinion polls on the 2016 Budget indicate that a significant number of the Guyanese people are not confident that Budget 2016 can and will deliver the good life. Seems to me that if the Government’s present policies, programmes, plans and trends continue the good life will continue to be an elusive dream for most but a reality for the fortunate ones at the top and their lackeys.

My dear readers, I ask you: (a) Do you see yourselves being better off by the end of 2016 as a result of the measures the Government plans to take to improve living conditions during 2016?

1. b) Are you confident that the measures set out in the 2016 Budget can stimulate growth, restore confidence and take us in the direction of the good life?

2. c) Are you confident that the shortcomings, inefficiencies, slothfulness and mistakes of the APNU+AFC Government in the post-May 2015 period can and will be corrected through Budget 2016? In fact, do you think the Government has any interest or concern in bringing the good life to any but their own kit and kin?

You the citizens of Guyana whether you are a pensioner, a public servant, a businessman/woman, a housewife, a farmer, the unemployed etc are the ones to determine whether this Budget addresses the concerns/welfare needs of the citizens (a majority) of this Country and let your views be placed in the public domain for as many as would listen to hear.

Meanwhile, here’s what some of our fellow Guyanese had to say:

Pensioners… The $ 1200 per pensioner per month increase could certainly not replace the $30 million per month which they will have to pay for electricity and the millions more for water rates. They would much prefer that the Government supplement the small increase they proposed by restoring the annual subsidy of $10 000 for water rates and the $30 000 for electricity per pensioner.

Pensioners are also not enthused by the “no payment for renewal of Driver’s Licence and for Airport Tax” as very few of them own a vehicle or can afford to travel overseas. Pensioners demand more in order to enjoy the god life.

Public servants, teachers, nurses, doctors, health workers, policemen and women bemoan the fact that they must wait to enjoy the good life. For how long is anybody’s guess. You could ask Messrs Harmon and Nagamotoo. But I wish to ask President David Granger and these two Ministers: how do you motivate workers with no salary increases when they are aware that you have paid yourselves huge increases? Recall Mr Harmon that in seeking to justify the extravagant salary increases paid to Govt Ministers and specific Govt Officers, you said: “such increases motivate performance and prevent thieving”. By that kind of logic and deduction; ‘Will such increases not also prevent thieving among public servants, health workers, teachers, etc?

And what about the several hundreds of public servants whose services you terminated… senior public servants with their many years of public service and wealth of experience? Their only offence was loving the PPP and exercising their right to vote for the Government of their choice. What about them, their families, their dependents? Does Budget 2016 make any provision for them? Point me to the page, the section/subsection of Budget 2016 Finance Minister.

The 2016 Budget shows a clear absence of focus on areas to create jobs and wealth; especially for our young people. What about the promised new job creating projects? What about the promised Entrepreneurial Programmes, Mr President?

On the issue of resource allocation to Local Authorities the Budget fails to provide for the transfer of adequate funds to Local Authorities under the Fiscal Transfers Act 2013.

Under the PPP/C Budgetary allocations were made for the provision of Central Government subventions to Local Authorities, that is, NDCs and municipalities.

This year a meagre $ 21.7 million was allocated to be divided among the 71 Local Authorities… woefully inadequate. But who among the APNU+AFC cares?

Under the PPP/C the allocation was $ 282 million.

To the contrary the Minister of Communities speaks of raising the taxes paid by ratepayers. How beastly and inhumane some of us can be.

APNU+AFC: Are you concerned; do you care? As one of your senior Ministers said after you had decided to pay yourselves huge salary increases from “an empty Treasury”: you have no apologies to make.

To those who have much, more shall be added. To him who had little, even the little shall be taken away from him. Surely Government has not read or understood this obviously relevant bit of Scripture readings.

Sincerely,

Norman Whittaker