Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton wrapped up the opposition’s contributions to the 2025 National Budget Debate on Thursday, highlighting various plans he believes state funds will be better spent on.
From the onset, expressed his disapproval of the $1.38 trillion spending plan. And he opined that the opposition, if in office, would be spending that amount of money on much more productive ventures.
He said the agriculture sector is one area that demands much more attention. And he zeroed in on the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the sugar industry, a contentious topic in local politics.
This year, $13.3 billion is set aside for the continued revitalisation of the sugar industry. Overall, the agriculture sector is getting $104.6 billion.
Without commenting much on those allocations, Norton vowed to help the sector beset by challenge after challenge bounce back.
“We have developed a clear path for a successful GuySuCo by diversifying the agriculture product, appointing competent managers, upgrading the skills of the existing workforce, and creating alternative employment for the sugar belt as we rightsize the industry,” Norton said.
Later in his hour-long presentation, he took aim at the housing sector.
The government boasts that 41,000 house lots have been distributed in four years and this year’s $112.6 billion allocation for the housing sector is expected to increase that figure by thousands more.
But Norton the government does not recognise several stark realities in the housing sector. Those realities, he said, include citizens’ inability to access loans easily and their challenges with the rising cost of living.
To counter this, Norton said a rent-to-own scheme will be developed if the opposition goes into government.
“A rent-to-own scheme is aimed at helping poor people who don’t have the requisite resources to go to the bank,” he said.
The Opposition Leader also spoke of the need for more “robust infrastructure” even though many opposition speakers before him were critical of the government’s huge focus on mega infrastructure projects.
He said this robust infrastructure is needed to connect the country from one end to another, allowing for “mixed-use” transportation.
Norton wrapped up his contribution by emphasising that people need a more responsive budget and promised that if elected to government, citizens will get budgets that include measures that will support them better.
