Budget 2026: $196.1B for transport overhaul as airports, ferries, dredging and sea defences get major push
The Dr. Irfaan Ali-led Administration has allocated $196.1 billion in Budget 2026 to advance a sweeping transport infrastructure programme that includes major investments in aviation, river transport and sea and river defence.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, told the National Assembly that rapid economic growth, increased global visibility and Guyana’s push as a tourism and investment destination have driven unprecedented visitor arrivals, creating urgent demands for expanded airport infrastructure, new municipal airports and upgraded hinterland airstrips.
Dr. Singh announced that within this term of office the PPP/C Administration will construct a new arrivals terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). He said preparatory work has already started, and the project is slated for completion in 2028.
To advance the CJIA expansion, Singh said $3.2 billion has been budgeted in 2026.
In collaboration with the private sector, Singh said the government will embark on the construction of two new municipal airports: one at Rose Hall/Canje in Region Six and another at Lethem in Region Nine, to improve domestic and regional connectivity and provide alternative landing destinations for regional and domestic carriers.
He said the Rose Hall/Canje facility is expected to support Region Six’s broader industrial and economic development vision, while the Lethem airport is intended to help position Region Nine as a hub for trade, tourism and connectivity between northern Brazil and the Caribbean.
Singh said the government will continue upgrading hinterland airstrips to support more efficient movement into the interior. He reported that $2.5 billion was spent on hinterland airstrips in 2025, and $4 billion is budgeted in 2026 to advance additional works.
He also announced plans to establish an aviation school in Guyana, aimed at training Guyanese and Caribbean nationals in aviation skills, including certification for pilots, engineers, inspectors, and air traffic control officers.
Singh said the administration is continuing aggressive investment in river transport, citing upgrades carried out over the past five years, including the rehabilitation of stellings, installation of beacons and navigational markers, acquisition of additional ferry vessels and pilot boats, and dredging works on several rivers.
He said an online booking facility has also been introduced to improve the commuting experience for travellers using the Parika stelling.
He reported that in 2025, the government procured two new ferry vessels: the MV Kanwaruk 1899, with a capacity to carry 81 cars and 300 passengers on the Parika–Supenaam route, and the Kalliopi N, with a capacity for 51 cars and 284 passengers on the Georgetown–North West District route.
Looking ahead, Singh said new port facilities at Charity, Parika and Port Kaituma will be built to support agricultural exports and deliver a more efficient river commute service.
To improve navigation and accommodate larger vessels, he said the government is investing in capital dredging at the mouths of the Berbice and Demerara rivers.
For 2026, Singh said $2.2 billion is budgeted for the new Parika Ferry Stelling and Waterfront Development Project, which he said will transform the existing Parika facility into an international port of entry and a major hub for tourism, agriculture and shipping.
He added that $6.3 billion is allocated to advance dredging at the mouth of the Demerara River. Overall, Singh said $11.2 billion is budgeted in 2026 for the river transport sector.
Singh also highlighted climate and coastal resilience measures, warning that risks linked to coastal degradation, overtopping, mangrove depletion and erosion are persistent challenges for Guyana. He said government has been pursuing a mix of “green and grey” interventions to strengthen shoreline stability and protection.
He reported that over the past five years government constructed more than 35,300 metres of new sea defence, maintained over 425,800 metres of existing sea defence, and developed more than 6,000 hectares of mangroves. He said $12.6 billion was spent on sea and river defence over that period.
For 2026, Singh said $11.3 billion is budgeted to continue sea and river defence works, including in areas such as Belladrum, Cullen and La Jalousie.
