Speeches in the National Assembly

Mr.  Speaker,   I  rise  to  move   the  motion    for  the  approval    of  the  Estimates    of  the Public  Sector  and  the  Budget   for  the  Financial  Year  2015  and,  in doing  so, I wish  to indicate that   Cabinet    has  recommended    that   the   National    Assembly    proceed    upon   this   motion, pursuant    to  Article   171  Paragraph    2  of  the  Constitution   of  the  Cooperative   Republic    of Guyana.

  Mr.  Speaker,   I  am  honoured    to  present   the  first  budget   of  this  Government.   I  am humbled    by  the   confidence   reposed    in  me   to   execute    this   challenging,  but   rewarding, exercise.  At  the  outset,  let me  thank  the President,   my  colleague  Members   of Parliament,  and all  those   groups   and   individuals  who   responded    to  invitations    to  exchange   views   on  the crafting  of this  budget.   I also want  to thank  all those  letter  writers  and  the  ordinary  person   in the  street,  who   approached   me  with  advice  and  requests,    especially   for  pension   and  wage increases.   I assure  you  that  your  contributions   are  valued   highly  and  that  your  efforts   have not  been  without   a listening   or sympathetic  ear.

 Mr.   Speaker,    on   May   11,  2015   the   Guyanese    people    held   their   breath    as  they proceeded    to  the  polls   to  exercise   their   democratic   right   to  elect  a  Government    of  their choice.   Those   premature     elections   were   occasioned   by  an  intransigent   minority    People's Progressive  Party/Civic   (PPP / C) Government   that  refused   to  cooperate   with  the  combined majority   opposition,   comprising  A Partnership   for  National   Unity  (APNU)   and  the  Alliance for  Change   (AFC).  Following   the  end  of the mandatory   parliamentary  recess,  on  October    10,  2014  the  Government    employed    delaying   and  dilatory   tactics   in  re-convening   Parliament. Faced   with   the  certainty   of  the  passage   of  a motion    of  'no  confidence',   which   was  to  be piloted  by the  AFC,  with  the  full  support   of APNU,   the  Government   opted  to prorogue   the Parliament.   Under    intense    international    and   domestic     pressure     to   either    re-open     the Parliament   or   seek   a  new   mandate    from   the   Guyanese    people    at   fresh   elections,    the Government    opted   for  the  latter   course   of  action.   It finally  dissolved   the  Parliament   on February   28,  2015  and  announced   General   and  Regional   Elections    to  be  held  on  May  11, 2015.

Mr.  Speaker,   as will  be  recalled,   the  Guyanese  people   came  out  in  their   thousands; they  were  determined  to  bring  an end  to  the  morass,   hopelessness  and  helplessness  that  had enveloped  our  country.   They  were  determined  to  bring   an  end  to  a  Government   that  had wreaked   havoc   on  our  society   -  sapping   it  of  its  energy   and  stripping   it  of  its  dignity  and dynamism.  And   so,  Mr.  Speaker,   after   S anxious   days,  during   which   the  Guyanese  people agonized    as  they  waited,   the   results   of  the   General    and   Regional    Elections    were   finally announced   on  May  16, 201 S. The  coalition   of  the  APNU  +AFC,  which   had  earlier  sealed  a formal   relationship  to  fight  the  PPP IC   on  a joint  platform,    was  declared   the  winner.   The Guyanese  people   finally  exhaled   after  holding   their  breath   against  the  stench   of  corruption, nepotism   and  discrimination  that  had  assailed  their  olfactory   sense.  For  too  long,  our  people had  to  suffer  under   a Government   that  cared  less  about   them   and  more   about   their  friends and  associates. Their  infectious  enthusiasm  and  their  joy  of  being  liberated   were  evident   in their   presence    at  the   swearing-in  and   subsequent   inauguration   of   the   eighth    Executive President    of  the  Republic,  His  Excellency  Brigadier  (Retired)   David   Arthur    Granger.    His elevation   has  since  seen  the  return   of: respect   for  our  nation's   symbols;   morals   and  morality; and  an  overwhelming  pride   in  being   Guyanese.  This  was  most   evident   in  the  spontaneous cleaning  of the  environment  by many  groups   and  individuals.  It was  their  way  of reacting   to the  dawn  of a new  day  - one  that  held  out  promises   of new  vistas,  and  of renewed   hope  and cooperation.

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Capital Expenditure Highlights

1. Completion of wireless and terrestrial networking system from Moleson Creek to Anna Regina/purchase of laptops and equipment $557M
2. Solar grid-tied demo project/solar street lighting Linden/Sodesdyke Highway $11.4M (Also listed as Lighting for Linden Soesdyke highway $15M)
3. Rebuilding of Umana Yana and repairs to PM’s residence $82M ($60M in 2015)
4. Rehab of NCN tower New Amsterdam provision for flooding at TV radio stations Broadcast tower in Linden $50M
5. Rehab and extension of public serice staff college 57M 19M in 2015
6. Bypass road Ogle to Great Diamond  10.4B  (India loan $10B)
7. Dredging of Demerara and Essequibo Rivers $100M
8. Completion of Amaila Falls road $220M
9. Studies for Brasil Land Transport link and Deep Water Harbor $50M
10. Rehabilitation of Eteringbang and Mahdia airstrips $160M
11. Rewiring of Cultural Centre and new curtains $16M ($9M for 2015)
12. Construction of Smyth Street Nursery School $50M ($18M for 2015)
13. Restoration of Georgetown $300M
14. Arms, ammunition and gas masks for police $29M
15. Vehicles, trucks, motorcycles, outboard engines, bicycles, boats for police $193.7M
16. More fire tenders $45M
17. GDF vehicles boats trucks motorcycles ATVs $154.4M

See Full Budget Speech below:

Attachments