Results over political rhetoric

THERE is a striking contrast unfolding in Guyana’s National Assembly. On one side stands a PPP/C government focused on building infrastructure, expanding opportunities, modernising institutions, and delivering on promises made to the electorate.
On the other side stands a WIN/APNU Opposition that appears increasingly determined to oppose for the sake of opposition, even when the measures before Parliament are designed to improve the lives of ordinary Guyanese.
The latest sitting of the National Assembly provided another clear example of this divide.
The PPP/C Government tabled six new bills, several international financing agreements, important commission reports, and a supplementary financial paper seeking approval for $54.9 billion in additional spending to advance ongoing national development projects. Yet, predictably, opposition voices have already begun to frame the supplementary allocation as evidence that the government simply wants to spend more money or waste public resources.
That argument does not withstand even the most basic scrutiny.
The reality is that governments do not seek supplementary financing because they enjoy spending money. They do so because projects are progressing, development is accelerating, and additional resources are needed to meet commitments that are already underway.
Guyana is not standing still. Roads are being built, housing schemes are expanding, agricultural production is being strengthened, drainage systems are being upgraded, and transformative projects such as Gas-to-Energy are moving closer to completion.
The proposed supplementary allocations tell a story of investment, not waste.
More than $19 billion is earmarked for the Office of the Prime Minister, including support for the Gas-to-Energy Project. This project is expected to dramatically reduce electricity costs, improve reliability, and make Guyana more competitive for businesses and manufacturers. It is arguably one of the most important economic projects in modern Guyanese history.
Another $17.5 billion is directed toward housing development. Thousands of Guyanese families who once believed home ownership was beyond their reach are now benefitting from one of the largest housing expansion programmes ever undertaken in the country.
Across regions, new housing areas are emerging, roads are being constructed, and families are receiving houselots at unprecedented rates.
Then there is the allocation for roads, drainage, and agriculture. These are not vanity projects. These are investments that directly affect productivity, food security, transportation efficiency, and quality of life. Every farmer who depends on drainage infrastructure, every commuter who uses improved road networks, and every family that benefits from stronger agricultural output understands the importance of these investments.
Yet the opposition continues to repeat the tired narrative that spending equals waste. Azruddin Mohamed, Tabitha Sarboo-Halley, Odessa Primus, Sherod Duncan, Ganesh Mahipaul, Dexter Todd and Terrence Campbell should be ashamed of themselves.
The irony is difficult to ignore. For years, critics complained that Guyana lacked sufficient investment in infrastructure and economic development. Now that the government is actively investing at a historic scale, those same critics complain about the level of investment itself.
One cannot simultaneously demand development and oppose the financing required to achieve it.
Perhaps one of the most significant measures introduced in Parliament was the Guyana Development Bank Bill.
This piece of legislation deserves serious national attention because it represents a major step toward broadening access to capital and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, farmers, small businesses, and emerging industries.
For decades, access to affordable financing has been one of the biggest challenges facing local businesses. Traditional commercial lending often fails to meet the needs of sectors that require patient capital and long-term investment. A development bank can help fill that gap.
Countries that have successfully transformed their economies often rely on strong development finance institutions to stimulate growth, encourage innovation, and support productive sectors. The proposed Guyana Development Bank has the potential to become an important pillar of the country’s economic architecture, helping to ensure that economic growth reaches more citizens and communities.
The PPP/C Government deserves credit for advancing this initiative.
Importantly, the establishment of a development bank is not emerging in isolation. It forms part of a broader strategy aimed at diversifying the economy, supporting private enterprise, and creating sustainable long-term growth. It is precisely the type of institution that many developing countries seek to establish when they are serious about transforming economic opportunities for their citizens.
The parliamentary agenda also included legislation aimed at strengthening commercial transactions, protecting consumers, improving the administration of justice, and enhancing public safety.
The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, which includes provisions for Guyana’s first Sex Offenders Registry, represents a significant step forward in protecting vulnerable citizens and strengthening accountability. Likewise, legislation dealing with depreciating seized assets and movable property security interests reflects a government attempting to modernise legal and commercial frameworks to meet contemporary realities.
Beyond the legislative agenda, the financing agreements presented to Parliament reveal another important truth about Guyana’s development trajectory.
International institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank are continuing to invest substantial resources in Guyana’s future. These institutions conduct extensive due diligence before approving financing arrangements. They do not lend hundreds of millions of US dollars on the basis of political rhetoric or wishful thinking.
Their continued engagement signals confidence in Guyana’s development agenda and confidence in the government’s capacity to execute major projects.
The US$156 million financing agreement for the Integrated Transport Corridors Project, together with financing for water and sanitation improvements and climate-resilient infrastructure, demonstrates that Guyana’s development ambitions are attracting global support.
Most importantly, the events in Parliament serve as another reminder that the PPP/C Government is doing exactly what it promised Guyanese voters in 2020.
The party campaigned on a platform of development, economic expansion, infrastructure modernisation, housing growth, agricultural support, improved public services, and transformational investments. Those promises are not merely being discussed today but are being implemented.
No government is perfect. The PPP/C Government is not perfect. Every major project deserves scrutiny. Public spending should always be subject to accountability and transparency. Healthy democratic oversight is necessary and welcome.
However, there is a difference between responsible oversight and reflexive opposition.
When Parliament is debating new roads, housing expansion, agricultural support, improved water systems, stronger public safety measures, expanded access to financing, and transformational energy projects, the national conversation should focus on how to make these initiatives succeed, not on reducing every development effort to a simplistic accusation of waste.
Guyanese citizens are increasingly capable of distinguishing between genuine criticism and political obstruction.
The government came to Parliament not because it wants to waste money, but because development costs money. Progress requires investment. Transformation requires resources. Growth requires vision backed by action.
The parliamentary agenda presented this week reflects a government that is actively shaping Guyana’s future. The opposition can continue complaining about spending, but the country is moving forward—and the people can see it.