A total of $25 million was allocated to the Office of the First Lady, the Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira revealed during the consideration of the 2021 budget estimates for the Office of the President on Tuesday.
A subsequent statement by the Office of the First Lady, Arya Ali noted that it had been incorrectly reported in sections of the media that the $25 million allocation reflects a $15 million increase over the 2020 allocation and that the increase of the allocation was not justified.
The statement from the Office of the First Lady noted that the incorrect media reports followed questions raised by Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon regarding the allocation.
“It would be prudent to note that from at least the year 2016 onward, the Office of the First Lady has received $15 million in annual funding. In the 2020 Budget, which was presented in September, the first under Mrs. Ali’s tenure, the standard amount of $15 million was budgeted but only $3 million was received and expended due to the shortened budgetary year,” the statement added before noting that in the 2021 Budget, an additional $10 million was allocated to the $15 million that was apportioned last year.
Further, the statement said that the magnitude of the work of the First Lady is well beyond the budgetary allocation.
The statement went on to say that the work of the First Lady focuses on the vulnerable, humanitarian causes, support to the national One Guyana Initiative and environmental and beautification projects.
It was disclosed that projects slated for this year include the Vulnerable Women Scholarship initiative, which will benefit 15 women this year. This project is expected to continue annually and expanded in the coming years.
In addition, it was stated that the First Lady will embark on a Menstrual Hygiene Initiative which will see girls who are forced to drop out of school because they are unable to afford sanitary pads be provided with such.
Additionally, it was stated that the First Lady will soon announce another initiative which will see the expenses of orphanages across the country being covered. This will be in partnership with several businesses.
The statement noted that the National Beautification Project requires a higher capital budget since it involves infrastructural expenditure.
“So far, the private sector has given generous support to the First Lady’s beautification initiatives but the projects for 2021 will require more direct support to complement both private sector assistance and joint projects with other government agencies,” the statement said.
It was revealed that the beautification project at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri is estimated to cost $20 million, which is two times the value of increase in the budgetary allocation in the budget for the Office of the First Lady this year.
On Tuesday, Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira had refused to disclose projects that the Office of the First Lady will be undertaking this year to justify an increase from $15 million to 25 million.
During the consideration of estimates of the 2021 budget, Harmon noted that there was an increase in the monies allocated to the Office of the First Lady and asked Teixeira to state the additional programmes that the First Lady will be engaged in this year that justified the increase.
He stated that there was a $15 million increase in the budgetary allocation. The mistake in figures, however, was not corrected by Teixeira who responded, “The office of the First Lady has always had money allocated to it throughout the years and in this case we have a new First Lady who has a number of programmes and projects she would like to be part of and to lead so this caters for a number of projects which she has adopted like the first ladies of other countries.”
Not satisfied, Harmon asked if there were any specific projects that the money was being allocated to or if the money was just being assigned and the First Lady would then decide how to spend it.
Teixeira stated that the practice being undertaken had gone on for decades and the monies allocated to the Office of the First lady will be spent according to her programmes and projects. Teixeira added that the First Lady will be held accountable in terms of expenditure through the Office of the President.
