Zadok Ministers Fellowship commends the Government of Guyana on its G$1.146 Trillion Budget 2024 presented in the National Assembly for this fiscal year. We acknowledge the significant importance of a Budget as the Government’s tool for wealth creation, infrastructural transformation, fighting poverty, economic inequality, and the country’s social ills. With the improved fiscal space and measures announced, the Fellowship believes Guyana will continue on a path of growth and development.
Throughout the Holy Bible, we see clearly that Almighty God has a special place in His heart for widows, orphans, vulnerable children, and the poor of society. The prophet Micah reminds us that “the Lord tells us how he wants us to love him and love our neighbor. To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with him” (Micah 6:8). The Church by its nature responds to the social ills of society and is considered a ‘hospital’ that deals with the ‘spiritual health’ of man. Zadok Ministers Fellowship is fully conscious that our spiritual health is manifested in our social holiness with our fellow man.
We commend the $48.3 billion budgeted to address social services. While more money is always preferred, we understand the difficult task of Government in balancing the many needs and competing projects of society and presenting same in a budget for all.
Zadok Ministers Fellowship specifically acknowledges the proposed social programmes in Budget 2024, specifically, the increase in old age pension and public assistance; supporting eye care for school children and pensioners; support for cervical cancer testing; construction of a new care home for senior citizens; subsidized water charges for all pensioners; provision of home-based care to elderly persons; provision of legal aid, shelter and counselling services to victims of domestic violence; creating better facilities, services, and jobs to improve the well-being of persons with disabilities, including children; training people with disabilities for job access; provision of assistive aids to people with disabilities; provision of special needs services to children; training of teachers in special education needs/disabilities to ensure they are conscious of the special needs of people with disabilities and the retrofitting and rehabilitation of classroom spaces to meet the special needs of people with disabilities.
These provisions will help alleviate the challenges of the vulnerable in society. It is also notable that a provision is made to write off student loans of the University of Guyana graduates who would have remained and served Guyana since graduating. Free education at the Tertiary level is a great initiative as it will be a tremendous blessing to many families. In addition to these initiatives for welfare and social services, we applaud the other budgetary allocations for wealth creation such as improving community roads, continuing land and housing allocations, and raising the income tax threshold. Further, the advancement of opportunities for young people through targeted economic and social programmes and skills training among other projects.
In this historic Budget of $1.146 Trillion, the Zadok Ministers Fellowship prays for the Government to ensure transparent, fair, and equitable implementation of Budget 2024 so our country, cities, villages, communities, and neighborhoods will be better off. In this regard, we advocate for greater community engagement and involvement in the delivery of all Government programmes.
Finally, we pray for God to grant our Leaders good health, strength, and wisdom and for Budget 2024 to reposition Guyana as a Regional Leader in social services, judicial justice, infrastructure, health, economics, tourism, commerce, trade, finance, security, and national defense.
Zadok Ministers Fellowship – “We are Better Together”