The Guyanese government has announced a sweeping economic initiative package, headlined by direct cash grants to citizens and significant tax reforms. President Irfaan Ali disclosed in a nationwide broadcast that all citizens aged 18 and above will receive a GUY$100,000 (approximately US$400) cash grant, with additional payments promised throughout his five-year term.
The comprehensive economic plan includes creating tax-free special development zones aimed at boosting employment in non-oil sectors and reducing import dependency. The government will abolish net property tax for individuals to increase disposable income and establish a revitalized Guyana Development Bank with US$200 million in initial funding to provide up to GUY$10 million loans to small and medium enterprises.
Additional measures include raising the minimum monthly salary for government workers to GUY$50,000 starting next year and implementing flat taxes on double cab pickup trucks based on engine capacity. The administration also pledged prioritized support for youth, women, and persons with disabilities, along with financing programs to improve housing quality in Amerindian communities.
However, the announcement sparked immediate criticism from opposition parties who condemned the president’s decision to unveil his five-year policy agenda outside of parliamentary proceedings. APNU legislator Sherod Duncan labeled the move a ‘democratic red flag,’ while Forward Guyana Movement leader Amanza Walton-Desir questioned the diplomatic community’s silence on what opposition figures characterize as a bypassing of democratic institutions.
The controversy occurs amid ongoing speculation about President Ali’s avoidance of parliamentary sittings that would involve opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed, who along with his father faces extradition proceedings to the United States for alleged financial crimes.