HGP Nightly News – In a sharp parliamentary counterattack, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, directly challenged the moral authority of the opposition on Wednesday, framing their critique of the 2026 budget as illegitimate while invoking the U.S. indictment against We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) leader Azruddin Mohamed.
Minister McCoy, defending the $1.558 trillion fiscal plan, dismissed the opposition as “impoverished of ideas” and representing only a narrow segment of society. He positioned the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government as the sole entity working comprehensively for all Guyanese.
The Minister’s most pointed remarks targeted the opposition leadership’s legal standing. He referenced the U.S. indictments against WIN leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, who are contesting extradition proceedings on allegations of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.
“The bottom line is that there is no one with any such tattered image and blemishes that is capable of holding this government accountable,” McCoy asserted from the floor. “Because we stand on integrity and credibility, and we have good moral standing.”
This personalization of the debate shifted the discourse from policy to character, as the Minister used the pending legal case to question the opposition’s fitness to scrutinize the government’s budget.
Earlier in his presentation, McCoy had robustly defended the budget’s content, labeling it an “investment in lives” that provides $307 billion in relief through tax removals and direct transfers. He argued it benefits all demographics, from public servants and small-business owners to persons with disabilities, and dismissed opposition criticisms as “empty” and lacking substance.
The Minister also cited the results of the 2025 General and Regional Elections as a public validation of the government’s agenda and a rejection of the opposition, whom he described as a bunch of “rejects.” He concluded by asserting that despite their objections, the budget’s programs would positively impact even his political opponents, framing the PPP/C as uniquely focused on governance and national development.
