It is now over a year since teachers quite properly embarked on work to rule in protest of Government’s illegal docking of salaries in retaliation for teachers exercising their right to take industrial action over the vexing issue of pension rights. These pension rights have been denied teachers and all public workers since 1983.
On Monday 20th January 2020, we watched as Guyana made history when it exported its first ever shipment of oil. Exxon Mobil exported one million barrels of light crude oil to the United States. Guyana’s economy will grow by 87% in 2020 as a result of returns just from oil companies bidding for blocks. That does not include revenues from the actual sale of oil.
Our country cannot be built without educationally empowering our people. Therefore, no stone must be left unturned in providing the opportunities and the resources to give every child a chance. Unfortunately, this budget is woefully inadequate in its allocations for education. Instead we see more empty, recycled promises of tablets for students.
“Grenada’s fiscal performance continues to be strong“, says the Minister of Finance, regarding fiscal performance. However, a different picture emerges when we examine the numbers for the first half of the year, January to June 2019.
The ANNUAL BUDGET statement should report comprehensively on the economic performance of the country for the past year. It should be factual, not “selective” to project a good image! The budget statement is a legal requirement, and gives authority for the collection of revenue and the expenditure of funds in a given year. It must also project what is to take place in the coming year.
