Editorial
Guyana Chronicle
June 16, 2001

WITHIN the constraints of the pre- and post-election violence and disruptions and domestic and foreign challenges, Finance Minister, Mr. Saisnarine Kowlessar has presented a record $64.7 billion budget to see the country through for the remainder of the year.

Budget 2001 must be seen in the context of a five-year vision for Guyana aimed at improving the standard of living of all Guyanese and ensuring continued social development and economic growth. The budget must be seen as all-inclusive and it bears no new taxes or any burdens on the Guyanese people.

Despite the serious constraints, based on the measures outlined and the allocations to the various sectors the projected growth of the economy this year is 2.8 per cent.

The education sector will benefit from an $11.8 billion allocation and this year will see the construction and/or rehabilitation of more educational facilities to include improvements from nursery to university level.

More than $250M will be spent on the University of Guyana Campus in Berbice to purchase equipment, construct a new building, design an Information Technology programme and purchase equipment for the Turkeyen Campus.

Health and Housing, two areas all Guyanese care about, continue to receive priority attention and $5.3 billion has been allocated to the health sector to enable it to proceed and expand on health care delivery. Resources will also be identified to ensure adequate medical supplies and drugs throughout the country.

Rehabilitation of more health facilities in the country, including far-reaching areas, has been promised.

Additionally, the welcome news is that more than $450M is allocated to fight and prevent the dreaded HIV/AIDS disease, and Tuberculosis and for a health information management system for the next two years.

Improving on the more than 50,000 house lots which were distributed up to the end of last year, the housing drive will be accelerated this year with the commencement of a US$30M Low Income Settlement Programme. It is worthwhile noting that this programme, in addition to providing institutional support to the Central Housing and Planning Authority, will focus on upgrading squatter settlements in several locations, including Tuschen, Diamond, Sophia and Amelia's Ward.

Some $400M has also been earmarked in the budget to upgrade various housing schemes in several regions, to benefit all sections of the Guyanese community without discrimination.

We note with interest that more than $2 billion will be invested in poverty reduction and the government's intention of building on the interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper through countrywide consultations. This in essence means there will be a national effort in poverty reduction.

Job creation and investment is another area in the budget which centres on people's development and deserves commendation. There are special provisions for various initiatives which will lead to job creation and investments across Guyana.

Support has been promised for investments in small-scale activities ranging from traditional agriculture and fisheries to mineral exports, furniture manufacturing, carpentry, shop-keeping and home-based agro-processing, all aimed at generating significant surplus to be disposed of in the domestic and international markets.

Industrial development will also get a shot in the arm with an injection of some $225M for the development of industrial sites at Eccles, Coldingen, Lethem, Belvedere and New Amsterdam, among other areas.

Also of note is the Linden Economic Advancement Project, a $2.3 billion programme to go over four years. This is a positive step as it will provide credit, vocational training and the creation of a business incubation machinery for the Linden community. Some $425M is also to be allocated to support small economic ventures in that community.

Agriculture continues to receive special attention and $2.1 billion has been set aside for this sector with $1 billion to be spent on drainage and irrigation.

Crime fighting and security, water and sanitation, roads and bridges, Amerindian development and rural electrification have all been given their due in the budget.

While some may want to characterise this as a six-month budget, we feel it should be looked at in the broader context of a five-year vision aimed at building on the dreams and aspirations of Guyanese.