HGP Nightly News – Forward Guyana Movement Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir delivered a sharp and wide-ranging critique of Budget 2026, dismissing the marathon six-and-a-half-hour presentation as uninspiring and warning that Guyanese may be heading into an economically difficult year.
Asked for her immediate reaction following Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh’s presentation, Walton-Desir was blunt. “After six and a half hours, the only thing I’m impressed by is maybe Ashni’s attitude. Nothing else is impressive,” she said.
According to the MP, the budget followed a predictable script and offered little new substance. “What we heard today is more of the same old, same old. If you heard the budget in 2025 and you listen to this budget, they’re virtually the same,” she argued. Walton-Desir suggested that citizens measure the budget’s impact in practical terms. “If you want to understand impact, look to see whether your life was better at the end of 2025 than it was at the beginning. That is when you’ll understand how much of an ‘I-pass’ this budget was.”
She took particular issue with the government’s theme of “Putting People First,” calling it disingenuous. “To have the temerity to steal a full scheme of ‘putting people first’… it’s just shameless,” she said.
Walton-Desir said her deepest concern lies with rising living costs, pointing to international warnings. She referenced a recent Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report on inflation and food prices, cautioning that modest wage and grant increases will not keep pace. “When you listen to the paltry increases given to public servants… we are going to have a problem with hunger in this country. I know it. The figures are telling us that,” she warned.
The MP also criticised what she described as weak investment in education and human development, including the University of Guyana, while billions continue to flow into infrastructure. Summing up her assessment, she said: “More of the same, more for the friends, family and favourites of the government, and more of nothing for the people of Guyana.”
Looking ahead, Walton-Desir painted a grim outlook. “My heart bleeds because I can look down the line and see that it’s going to be a very difficult year for Guyanese,” she said, citing inflationary pressures, climate-related challenges, and falling oil prices. She accused the government of tying the economy too tightly to oil revenues, warning that Guyana is now “smack dab in the middle of the Dutch disease.”
She also criticised the presentation style and economic management. “A lot of theatrics, a lot of drama, and very little substance for the people of Guyana,” Walton-Desir said, questioning whether any announced savings or efficiencies would actually reach consumers. “Prices go up immediately, but they don’t come back down,” she added.
Walton-Desir concluded that while initiatives were announced, the central issue remains unresolved. “My question remains: how is the government ensuring that the savings are passed down to the people of Guyana?”
