Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo criticized opposition budget proposals as contradictory and lacking vision. He highlighted inconsistencies in Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton’s statements about oil revenue spending and expressed concerns over financial sustainability in proposed tax and salary increases. Jagdeo urged public scrutiny of these promises, emphasizing a need for a coherent economic vision.
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo criticized the opposition budget proposals from the APNU+AFC as contradictory and lacking a clear vision for national development. He expressed concern particularly about the remarks made by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton during the recent Budget Debates, which seemed to highlight confusion among opposition members regarding economic management.
Jagdeo pointed out that while Norton claimed that the government was overly reliant on oil money and urged for more savings due to uncertain future oil prices, he simultaneously proposed a plan that would significantly increase spending from oil resources. This spending was described as unsustainable as it would only cover recurrent expenses and not capital investments.
The Vice President also noted the opposition’s promise to raise the income tax threshold well above the current $130,000. He labeled these commitments as problematic due to their lack of a sustainable financial explanation.
Jagdeo further criticized the promise of a 35% salary hike for public sector employees, estimating it would cost approximately $517 billion, exceeding the planned oil revenues of $512 billion for the 2025 budget. He remarked that such proposals from the opposition reflect a lack of a coherent alternative budget.
He emphasized that these ad hoc commitments indicate a failure to present a cohesive vision for national development, calling for the public to critically evaluate these opposition promises.
The article discusses the critique made by Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo regarding the opposition’s budget proposals in Guyana. The context includes recent debates surrounding the $1.38 trillion National Budget, underscoring the importance of a clear and sustainable approach to economic management by contrasting the ruling party’s strategies with opposition proposals.
In conclusion, Vice President Jagdeo believes that the opposition’s budget proposals lack cohesion and clarity, highlighting contradictions regarding economic strategies and fiscal commitments. The call for scrutiny of these proposals underscores the need for clear, sustainable plans in government budgeting.
Original Source: newsroom.gy
