See below the full statement issued by the Ministry of Finance:
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh Monday announced that Budget Day this year is Monday, January 15, 2024.
In keeping with the Government’s consultative approach to Governance, Dr. Singh has been over the last several months meeting and consulting with various stakeholders including the Private Sector. Today, during a meeting with the latter, Dr. Singh reiterated the government’s appreciation of the strong collaboration and the ongoing engagement with the private sector throughout the year. The Private Sector team was led by Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Mr. Komal Singh.
In previous months, the Government met and held consultations with various stakeholders including Trade Unions, Government Ministries, other agencies and civil society.
Only last week, President Irfaan Ali, accompanied by a number of Government Ministers led the sod turning for a new US$35 Million four-lane Mackenzie/Bridge in Linden, Region Ten. While there, the Head of State said the new bridge is not a ‘stand-alone’ project but part of a huge developmental plan for the Region and the country. Last week as well, as Government continued on its aggressive development thrust, the sod was turned for a new US$161Million Regional Hospital at New Amsterdam, one of several modern hospitals being constructed around the country as part of government’s agenda to provide world-class service to citizens. The Head of State also led a government team in the turning of the sod for the new US$28 Million 12-storey Brickdam Police Station. During that event, President Ali indicated that his government is developing a security architecture that will focus on proactive and intelligent policing to create a culture of peace and prosperity in Guyana.
In his New Year’s speech to the Nation, the President had indicated that ‘We have set Guyana on a course of sustained growth and prosperity’ and that this year ‘will see us advance more rapidly along this path as we shape the destiny of present and future generations. This Budget will detail our expenditure and revenue plans for the coming year. It will deliver on our promise to continuously improve the lives of Guyanese’.
President Ali, during that speech had also noted that Guyanese are going to benefit from improved infrastructural and public services, including water, housing and education and several major road projects are slated for completion to make commuting easier.
Budget 2024 aligns with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) Administration’s manifesto of 2020, which laid the foundation for prosperity for all. It will be shaped upon two primary pillars, which include the implementation of mechanisms aimed at increasing disposable income into the hands of citizens and the development of Guyana’s economic and social infrastructure.
Last year, on January 16, Dr. Singh presented a $789.1 Billion Budget in the National Assembly under the theme ‘Improving Lives Today, Building Prosperity for Tomorrow’.
That Budget saw critical development programmes for Government being fast-tracked and many more expanded to reflect Government’s continued transformational agenda for the country.
This year’s Budget will be the fifth Budget presented by the current administration since it assumed office in August, 2020 and is the fourth by Dr. Singh who commenced his current tenure as Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance in November 2020.
