In usual ripping form, Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, wrapped up the 2026 budget debates in the wee hours of Saturday, incinerating the criticisms of the political opposition.
During his wrap-up in the National Assembly, Dr Singh opted to focus on two presentations – Terrence Campbell, a backbencher who leads the 12-member A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) contingent and Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN).
The minister said the arguments by these two parliamentarians underline his conclusion that “We are with the most fragmented and weakest opposition in living memory.”
Addressing the budget contribution by Campbell, Dr Singh said it was the most “vicious, vitriolic behaviour by anybody who led the PNC in this parliament.” He said Campbell’s behaviour, marked by insults of PPP/C members, sank the party of the late Forbes Burnham to the bottom of the barrel.
The finance minister addressed Campbell’s reference to Ghana’s style of reporting on its oil money, where it lists what projects are funded by these resources. Campbell argued that this is a model Guyana should adopt.
Dr Singh was keen to note that his government enacted a superior law which governs expenditure of the nation’s oil money, adding that there is full compliance for withdrawals. He also pointed to literature which outlines why oil money should not be earmarked, thereby underscoring Guyana’s approach. For the benefit of his opposition colleague, Dr Singh referenced a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): “Using Extractive Revenues for Sustainable Development.” The 2019 report provides compelling case studies on countries such as Ecuador, which suffered harsh economic consequences for earmarking natural resource revenue for specific projects.
Dr Singh also addressed claims made by Campbell that 58 per cent of the population is living in poverty. The minister said the parliamentarian failed to note that this data reflected a review of Guyana’s economy for the period 2016-2020. He said reference to the report’s contention that Guyanese are currently living on GY$1400 a day is a misrepresentation. He noted that even unskilled labourers would not leave their yards to work for less than GY$8000 a day, and challenged Campbell to find one Guyanese who would do so.
With such poor arguments, among others, the minister said the PNC “has been relegated to the dustbin of political irrelevance.”
Turning to the Leader of the Opposition, who had already departed the National Assembly after his maiden presentation, Dr Singh detailed the U.S federal court charges of wire fraud and money laundering facing Mohamed and his father as a result of their dubious business operations. Singh noted that the father-son duo is currently fighting to avoid extradition to face the American courts. With such a background, Singh said he was appalled to see Mohamed present himself as a moral authority, a champion of the vulnerable.
According to the Finance Minister, what Momahed is attempting to do, in his seduction and recruitment of innocent Guyanese for a movement to avoid proving his innocence in court, “leaves the country at an extremely important juncture in its history.”
The minister was keen to note that the case of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, infamous for ruthless killings, merciless bombings and a relentless fight to dodge extradition, serves as a cautionary tale for Guyana, which must guard against being captured by Escobar-figures.
While the finance minister did not address any of the budget criticisms by Mohamed, he did remind the House of the extensive social and economic impacts of Budget 2026. Singh said the PPP/C does not claim to get all things right, but it does for the overwhelming majority.