‘Guyanese can breathe again’ – Teixeira says gov’t spending better than APNU+AFC

As she blasted the APNU+AFC Opposition for failing to critically examine the 2023 National Budget, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, posited that Guyanese will benefit from better budgetary initiatives providing much-needed relief to them.

The Governance Minster, speaking on the last day of the 2023 Budget Debate, told fellow lawmakers that Guyana has been developing at a rapid rate since 2020 when the current PPP/C administration took office.

New housing schemes, massive infrastructure projects and budgetary relief are among the initiatives providing relief to people, Teixeira said. And she reminded everyone that the PPP/C already removed numerous onerous taxes and returned cash grants to people.

She also keenly pointed out that programmes and policies implemented resulted in Guyana improving its international rankings.

“Our people can breathe again.

“Unlike you, you took monies out of people’s pockets but we are putting it back,” she said, speaking directly to the APNU+AFC Opposition.

But Teixeira’s position was not shared by all members of the House.

In fact, all of the APNU+AFC opposition parliamentarians who spoke before her during the debate expressed their dissatisfaction at the 2023 spending plan. It was labelled “anti-poor” in some instances.

Those assertions drew the ire of the Governance Minister.

“Since 2012, the APNU+AFC Opposition has become irresponsible and reckless and lacking substance in these debates even when they were in government.

“This intellectual opportunism and bankruptcy, I must continue to show it,” Teixeira said.

Further, the seasoned politician lamented that the political opposition seems unable to support initiatives bringing relief to people and also improving their standard of living.

“Why is it so difficult for you to support that?” she asked.

Teixeira commended the budget and urged all of the lawmakers to support the government’s $781.9 billion fiscal plan.