Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton has pledg-ed to commission a survey to assess the living conditions of Guyanese households.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) leader also noted that should his party win the upcoming elections they will work towards addressing the struggles of the ordinary citizens in the nation.
During the party’s press conference yesterday, Norton lauded Stabroek News for its weekly Cost-of-Living series which has been shedding light on the struggles faced by ordinary Guyanese. He noted that the sentiments expressed by those interviewed mirror the concerns heard by the opposition party during its community outreach efforts across the country.
According to Norton, the complaints of citizens highlight the dire situations faced by many households:
“Several households must depend on family members living outside the household for regular financial support. Even those with multiple breadwinners struggle to make ends meet, pointing to the low wages and salaries and the existence of a large mass of working poor in Guyana”, he said.
The party’s observations also revealed that economic insecurity is rampant, with many households finding themselves in financial desperation and deeper poverty when faced with sudden economic crises or shocks, such as the loss of employment or high medical expenses.
Coping mechanisms, Norton pointed out, are being employed by many individuals and households, including reducing food consumption and cutting back on non-essential expenses. Even local fruits are now considered luxury items, unaffordable for many families, he asserted.
The opposition party has also noted that personal saving accounts are non-existent for many individuals and households. Further, Norton noted that most families have lost faith and hope that their circumstances can change under the current government, despite Guyana being an oil-producing nation.
In response to these concerns, Norton pledged to commission a Living Standards Survey to fully assess the living conditions of Guyanese households. However, he said the party will not wait for the elections results to implement measures to improve the lives of Guyanese.
Norton said that in their first 100 days in office if elected, they plan to significantly increase salaries and pensions, abolish personal income taxes for low-to-medium-income earners, and increase cash grants and vouchers.
“We have pledged that, as the next government, we will urgently commission a Living Standards Survey… However, we will not await the results of this survey to implement several measures in the first 100 days in office to better the lives of Guyanese. We will, for example, significantly increase salaries and pensions, abolish personal income taxes for low to medium-income earners, and increase cash grants and vouchers. By the end of our first term in office, poverty, economic insecurity, and high living costs would be significantly reduced. This is part of our contract with Guyana,” Norton promised.
