Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has refuted arguments that the 2022 Budget caters for the upper-class, labelling the criticism by the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Opposition as “utter nonsense.”
During a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo referenced a series of measures contained in Budget 2022, as well as a series of other measures the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government has implemented since they assumed office in August 2020, which were aimed at assisting low-income earners.
Jagdeo reminded that the PPP/C in their 2020 General and Regional Elections Manifesto promised a number of measures aimed at improving the lives of the lower class. These included reinstating the ‘Because We Care’ education cash grant and making it $50,000 per school child, distributing 20,000 scholarships and doubling senior citizens’ pensions – all within five years.
He explained that so far, the pension has increased by 40 per cent and the government is well on their way to fulfilling its promise. In 2021, pension was increased by $5,000 and it is slated to further increase by $3,000 once the 2022 Budget goes into effect.
“This year, pensioners will receive $7.2 billion more than they were receiving under APNU, the last year of APNU. And if you look at the two years cumulatively, it’s $11.7 billion,” Jagdeo said.
In terms of the ‘Because We Care’ education cash grant, Jagdeo reminded that when the PPP/C demitted office in 2015 the grant was $10,000 per child, however, the APNU+AFC had discontinued it. The grant was reinstated and increased to $15,000 in 2021, and the 2022 Budget makes provision for it to be increased to $25,000.
“200,000 of our children will get this, this is equivalent to $5 billion, so our children now will get $5 billion more this year directly from the government that they didn’t get under APNU, in fact, it was taken away by APNU,” Jagdeo said.
Additionally, the Vice President noted that the School Uniform Voucher is slated to be increased from $2,000 to $5,000 in Budget 2022 which will cost the government an additional $600 million while $840 million is allocated for persons on public assistance.
“That’s $14 billion more just in these four categories that people will be receiving than they were getting under APNU,” Jagdeo said.
In terms of the scholarships, Jagdeo reminded that $1 billion was allocated for scholarships in 2021 which saw some 6,000 persons receiving scholarships. This year $1.3 billion is allocated for scholarships and some 4,500 persons are expected to benefit.
“These two years alone we will have 10,500 scholarships given to people at the cost of over $2 billion. We promised 20,000 scholarships in the five year period, the first two years were fulfilling that promise, this is going to our people directly to them,” he said.
“This budget seeks to balance addressing people’s livelihoods, concerns creating jobs, expanding our economy, preparing for the future as well as enhancing welfare of our people,” Jagdeo said.
