Government Member of Parliament, James Bond delivered an impassioned presentation in support of Budget 2026, declaring that the $1.558 trillion financial plan is fundamentally about putting people first and expanding opportunities across Guyana, particularly in hinterland communities and among young people.
Reflecting on his upbringing in Maburuma, Region One, Bond recounted experiencing poverty firsthand, noting that access to education, healthcare and basic services were once severely limited.
“I walked to school barefooted. We didn’t have enough textbooks,” he told the National Assembly, underscoring the transformation he said the region has undergone under the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C) Administration.
He pointed to major developments in Maburuma, including six secondary schools either built or under construction in Region One, enhanced maternity services, improved healthcare delivery, and Wi-Fi connectivity reaching deep hinterland communities such as Yarakita and Whitewater.
He also highlighted that Maburuma now boasts what he described as the best X-ray machine in the country.
“What this means is that these children could access scholarships using Wi-Fi,” Bond stated, explaining that expanded connectivity and educational infrastructure are opening doors previously unavailable to hinterland youth.
The parliamentarian credited government-funded scholarships for changing the trajectory of his own life.
He revealed that his parents were unable to afford university tuition, but he received a Government of Guyana scholarship to pursue law studies at the University of Guyana and later at the Hugh Wooding Law School.
“Education is not a privilege… Education is a tool to take you out of poverty,” he declared.
Bond said Budget 2026 continues to invest heavily in human capital development, noting that the $1.558 trillion allocation is being spent directly on the people of Guyana, through expanded services, infrastructure, and social programmes.