The National Assembly has approved the $57.5 billion Supplementary Appropriation Bill (No. 1 of 2025) sought by the government to advance several developmental initiatives across the country.
The bill was piloted by the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh.
Initially presented to the House on May 16, the bill provides additional funding for several key projects and programmes.
A significant portion of the funding, $29.5 billion under the Office of the Prime Minister’s capital programme, will be allocated to Guyana’s electricity initiative.
Of this amount, $28.8 billion will go towards upgrading and expanding electricity distribution networks. This investment complements the construction of the 300 MW Natural Gas Power Plant, which is expected to cut energy costs by 50 per cent and meet growing electricity demands, especially within the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
An additional $738 million will facilitate the expansion of electricity coverage to 17 previously unserved communities. The government has also provided solar panels to remote hinterland villages that are not connected to the national grid.
Under the current programme of the Office of the Prime Minister, another $7.8 billion was approved to support, upgrade, and maintain approximately 157 kilometres of the existing distribution network. This investment will enhance Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) capacity to deliver more reliable electricity to customers.
The popular $100,000 cash grant initiative is also supported in the supplementary budget, with an additional $3 billion allocated. As of May 21, 2025, 617,398 citizens registered for the grant, with 602,927 cheques already issued and 96 per cent distributed.
The government anticipates registering an additional 12,000 people by the end of June. Registration and distribution continue at NDC and RDC offices across the regions, as well as the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.
In the housing sector, $12 billion has been allocated to continue infrastructure development under the government’s aggressive housing programme, led by the Ministry of Housing and Water.
Additionally, $1.5 billion has been earmarked for the continuation of hinterland road projects aimed at improving connectivity between coastal and interior regions. Another $1.4 billion has been set aside for farm-to-market roads, which are expected to significantly boost the agriculture sector by enhancing access to markets.
