In a passionate and incisive presentation to the National Assembly yesterday, Member of Parliament Ricky Ramsaroop criticized the government’s $1.382 trillion budget proposals, highlighting significant gaps in key sectors, including Forestry, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These sectors, according to Ramsaroop, are crucial to Guyana’s national development but remain plagued by systemic issues.
“While these sectors hold immense potential, they are plagued by management issues, inadequate funding, environmental challenges, and insufficient oversight,” he stated. Ramsaroop argued that these weaknesses deprive the Guyanese people of the full benefits of the nation’s natural wealth. He called for the resumption of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources to facilitate meaningful discussions with companies like ExxonMobil and government agencies to address governance issues.
Unfulfilled Recommendations Over the Years
Ramsaroop outlined a series of recommendations made during previous budget cycles, emphasising their lack of implementation and the consequences for national development.
2020:
In 2020, Ramsaroop proposed redistributing 800,000 hectares of land allocated to political allies under the previous administration to benefit the wider Guyanese population. He also highlighted efforts under the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Changer (APNU+AFC) coalition government to level the playing field for forestry stakeholders and improve transparency, including public disclosures on the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) website. However, he noted the site is no longer accessible.
He added that inter-agency collaboration under the coalition government allowed GGMC funds to maintain interior roads, fostering connectivity and productivity. Plans to pave major river crossings, such as Kwakwani and Sherima, and improve conditions in interior communities were outlined but remain unfulfilled under the current administration.
2021 and 2022:
In 2021, despite claims in the budget that the GFC would become self-sufficient, production contracted by 7.4%, and exports declined by 8.6%. While Ramsaroop acknowledged a slight recovery in 2024 due to new logging concessions, he criticised the lack of support for community loggers and inadequate technology upgrades.
By 2022, Ramsaroop had recommended establishing a revolving fund through public-private partnerships to assist loggers, revising log export policies, and redesigning the National Forest Inventory. He also pushed for the creation of a one-stop shop to reduce bureaucratic red tape, but little progress has been made.
2023:
Last year, Ramsaroop proposed allocating 25% of funds from carbon credits to Amerindian communities and allocating $10 million USD to the forestry sector. However, during a recent visit to forestry stations in Ituni and Iteballi, he found deplorable working conditions, including a lack of proper water facilities and insufficient transportation for officers.
Ramsaroop also called for reforms to the carbon credit scheme, advocating for a transparent and fair system that ensures Amerindian communities and concession holders benefit directly.
Environmental Oversight Under Threat
Ramsaroop sharply criticised the government’s lack of investment in the EPA. He highlighted the coalition government’s achievements, including increasing the EPA’s staff by 20%, establishing regional offices, and building capacity for petroleum oversight. However, he expressed concerns that these gains are at risk due to underfunding and neglect.
“From a dysfunctional agency in 2015, we [APNU+AFC] turned the EPA into a transparent, well-equipped institution. Yet, the current [People’s Progressive Party] government has failed to build upon this foundation,” Ramsaroop said. He stressed the need for enhanced environmental monitoring, including full liability insurance for oil companies and strict enforcement of environmental impact assessments (EIAs).
Reviving the Gold Mining Sector
Turning to gold mining, Ramsaroop pointed to its steady decline in production over the past four years. To revitalise the sector, he proposed modernising monitoring systems, expanding geological surveys, and incentivising downstream processing to add value to exports. He also recommended low-interest loans for miners and formalising small-scale mining operations to improve compliance and efficiency.
A Call for Action
Concluding his presentation, Ramsaroop reiterated his commitment to addressing these issues and holding the government accountable. “As we analyse the budget, we see several gaps. My focus remains on the recommendations I’ve made over the years and their implementation as we prepare to take back government,” he declared.
Ramsaroop’s address underscored the urgent need for reforms across critical sectors to ensure that Guyana’s natural wealth benefits all its citizens. Whether his proposals will gain traction in the National Assembly and translate to policies remains to be seen.