Opposition sidelined during budget process, national decisions – Mahipaul

APNU+AFC Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for the Public Service, Ganesh Mahipaul, yesterday said that the opposition had been sidelined during the formation of the budget and national decisions.

Speaking on the 2025 budget, he called for the inclusion of an Opposition representative on all tender boards, pointing to issues of transparency and fairness in government procurement processes.

“The people need to know that there’s accountability,” Mahipaul declared, adding that communities, particularly in Afro-Guyanese areas, were being left behind when it came to business grants.  “They use him now to carry their racist remarks,” PPP/C MP Kwame McCoy shouted, accusing Mahipaul of misrepresenting issues affecting Afro-Guyanese business owners.

One of the most heated moments of the debate came when Mahipaul referenced stalled public works, particularly the unfinished pump stations in areas like Belle Vue and Pouderoyen, calling them “symbolic of the government’s inaction.” He accused the government of making empty promises regarding infrastructure projects and failing to fulfill commitments made in their manifesto.

The Opposition MP also expressed concern about the government’s approach to regional development. He pointed to the lack of action on the promises to establish regional plans, train staff, and support the implementation of sector plans. “They’ve achieved nothing,” Mahipaul said.

Further addressing the situation in Georgetown, Mahipaul said that the capital, which was once promised a revitalization programme was now falling back into its previous state of disrepair. He also took aim at the Parika Market project, questioning the utility of the 700 million dollars spent on the market’s development.

“The vendors are being told they must pay for electrical works or lose their stalls. This is outrageous,” he argued. He accused the government of failing to keep its promises, specifically citing the 2015 PPP manifesto that pledged to introduce campaign finance legislation, rigidly uphold procurement laws, and create a non-partisan youth corps—all of which Mahipaul said remained unaddressed.

Mahipaul’s criticism was not limited to local issues. He drew a comparison to the ongoing tensions with Venezuela, noting that 49% of the population was being sidelined, just as their concerns were ignored in the geopolitical matter.

On the legislative front, Mahipaul vowed that the Opposition would push for a review of the Tender Act to ensure better accountability. He also slammed the government for what he saw as its failure to provide adequate training and oversight, citing the situation in the oil sector where the government had not followed through on promises to create a petroleum oversight body.

In response, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development  Sonia Parag took aim at Mahipaul’s previous track record, particularly his role in the Ministry of Local Government during the APNU+AFC administration. “You are not qualified to speak on those terms,” Parag said, responding to Mahipaul’s claims about government inefficiency.

In her speech, Parag played up the government’s achievements, particularly for part-time workers. She emphasized the procurement of new compactor trucks and fire-fighting vehicles, along with the development of landfill sites in several regions. Parag also detailed the government’s efforts to enhance market viability, including the Charity Market, as well as projects in Leonora and Hydronie. She said that since 2024, the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils  had received substantial subventions, increasing from 4 million dollars  to as much as 10 million dollars, aimed at improving community services and infrastructure.

The Minister also pointed to the government’s ongoing support for pensioners and communities across the country. She argued that the government had made strides in ensuring that grants and subventions were reaching the people who needed them most, including 2.8 billion dollars  in subventions to communities.