The policy measures contained in budget 2025 will address the needs of and take care of Guyanese from the cradle to the grave, PPP Member of Parliament and Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues has said.
The Minister shared this view during her presentation at the 2025 budget debates which began today at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.
After highlighting how hard work and sacrifice elevated her family from poverty, Minister Rodrigues examined measures in the budget which support the government’s ongoing efforts to drive tangible development aimed at improving the lives of all Guyanese and supporting them at every stage of life.
Among the measures highlighted by Rodrigues was the $100,000 cash grant for mothers of newborn babies, the $50,000 ‘Because we Care’ cash grant for every school child, increases to the old age pension which is now $41,000, subsidy for water and electricity for pensioners, the $100,000 cash grant for all Guyanese over the age of 18, and support small business development and housing.
The Minister described these measures which directly impact the lives of ordinary Guyanese as no less than “transformational” and “empowering”.
“This is how we are creating wealth among ordinary Guyanese people, and this will allow people to lift themselves out of poverty because of the conditions that we are creating through our policies,” she noted.
Minister Rodrigues also used her presentation to examined the track record of the opposition APNU and AFC which she described as a legacy of unfulfilled promises and economic mismanagement.
“Immediately after assuming government, we saw the destructive nature of the APNU/AFC. We saw how they destroyed the economy,” she stated.
During their term in office, the APNU-AFC terminated contracts for over 7000 sugar workers and sent home 2000 community support officers, leaving thousands jobless and communities without support. It also imposed over 200 new taxes, including taxes on water and data, while it took away the because we care cash grant.
