– rejects opposition’s false rhetoric
Speaking on Tuesday during day two of the budget debates in the National Assembly, Member of Parliament (MP) Zamal Hussain said Budget 2026 is not a collection of numbers, but a blueprint for the dignity of our people.
MP Hussain rejected the false narrative put forward by Opposition MP Gobin Harbhajan, emphasising that the budget reflects tangible development, particularly in the East Berbice-Corentyne region.
Addressing claims about limited land availability, MP Hussain said the government had intervened through the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission by reducing land rental fees from $2,000 to $1,000.
He also noted that 20,000 acres of land had been surveyed and made available to cattle farmers in Berbice, including residents of the opposition member’s own community.
Massive land clearing continues across Berbice. Additional lands are also being opened up at Moleson Creek, supported by the construction of an all-weather road that will make between 300 and 500 acres available in the initial phase.
Residents can also expect the construction of a Hope-like canal by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).
“The Hope-like canal will ensure that we have thousands of acres of land available for farmers in Region Six. They would also be protected from the floods,” he stated.
Correcting figures cited by the opposition, MP Hussain said rice cultivation in Berbice stood at 70,038 acres, not 63,000.
“We have been supporting rice farmers not only in the last crop…since we are in government from 1992 to 2015, when APNU+AFC made it a private business, and then we started to support rice farmers back in 2020 to present,” the MP stated.
He commended the Ministry of Agriculture for its work in Berbice, stating that thousands of residents depend on the sector for their livelihoods.
Turning to infrastructure, he referenced the removal of tolls on the Berbice Bridge and pointed to developments at Palmyra.
These include a new world-class stadium, a tarmac facility for hosting the Berbice Expo, and a Centre of Equity, Opportunity and Innovation for Persons living with Disabilities. The centre is operational and has employed more than 100 persons with disabilities.
He added that every Neighbourhood Democratic Council in Region Six had seen improvements over the past five years, including upgraded internal roads, better drainage, new buildings and the provision of heavy-duty equipment for garbage collection.
Major investments have been made in New Amsterdam to transform the country’s oldest town.
MP Hussain said the scale of development across Region Six underscores the government’s focus on putting every Guyanese first.