Budget 2025 empowers farmers, workers and communities – MP Coonjah

Member of Parliament, Nandranie Coonjah countered the APNU/AFC’s claims that Budget 2025 has nothing for the ordinary Guyanese, highlighting that farmers, workers and communities will be empowered through measures contained in the framework.

She made this statement during her contribution to the ongoing parliamentary debates at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Tuesday.

While the opposition continues to criticise the trillion-dollar budget, they fail to acknowledge their blatant policies while in government, Coonjah argued.

In fact, during the coalition’s campaign trail in 2015, they had promised rice farmers in Region Two of increased prices for their crop; however, this was all ‘bluff’ and ‘broken promises’.

She contrasted this with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s aggressive and proactive approach in advancing food security, which includes direct intervention and support for farmers.

“Our agriculture minister and his team, both regionally and centrally, are often seen on the ground, in the fields, walking alongside our farmers, fulfilling their immediate requests and needs.

Mr. Speaker,  these actions resulted in increased sown hectares. Mr. Speaker, I want to give you the figure over the period of 2020 to 2023, 106,859 hectares were sown on the  Essequibo Coast,” the MP asserted.

She detailed critical infrastructure improvements in drainage and irrigation within the region that are essential to a successful agriculture sector. These include constructing new regulators, irrigation structures, culverts, sluices, pump stations and farm-to-market roads.

MP Coonjah highlighted that Amerindian communities are not left out of this development, as they are involved heavily in aquaculture. The communities of Mashabo, Capoey Lake and Mainstay are successfully farming species of fish, benefitting some 2,000 Amerindian residents.

She said, “This is development. This is support for our very hardworking farmers who need to survive, who need to bring food on our table, and we must acknowledge those farmers.

This is a personal initiative of our president and is well accepted by our indigenous brothers and sisters who are eagerly awaiting the passage of this 2025 budget for their expansion plan of additional grow-out cages and two other species.”

The parliamentarian also underscored that the 2025 fiscal framework contains many initiatives in areas of healthcare and employment opportunities for the Guyanese youth.

In this regard, the MP rejected the opposition’s criticism of the National Pathway Workers programme, stating that these workers are made up of mostly women, who are seeking a better life.

She noted they are placed in education and health sectors, with many of them transitioning to permanent jobs or further training opportunities.

“Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Ramjattan must apologize to Minister Sonia Parag,  it’s her workers, and to Minister Charles Ramson and these young people in our region, for insulting them and calling them [a] slush fund,” she stressed.

The parliamentarian who hails from Region Two also highlighted the transformation in the housing sector, with swamplands now transformed into residential areas.

Furthermore, education facilities are being rehabilitated, with eight new schools currently being constructed.

In the area of water, she noted that residents in certain areas, for the first time, will have access to clean and treated water due to a massive water treatment plant being constructed at Onderneeming.

According to her, this plant is set to become operational later this year, with other transformational projects being rolled out in the region.

In concluding her presentation, MP Coonjah affirmed her support for the Budget, stating that the Cinderella County has found its golden slippers through the government’s progressive policies.