Oswin Alister - public sector employee: 'The budget should have been more focused on youths. I don't see the Government doing anything for youths. Unemployment is a problem in Guyana. I haven't heard anything spoken about job creation. I heard about a ten percent tax for phone calls. I heard nothing about a raise in salaries for public servants. I don't think it made much sense for the Government to raise the income tax threshold because what is gained can't even do for passage, light bill and phone bill. I see that they allocated money for the Police. Giving the Police more guns won't solve the crime problem'.

Anand Meusai - public sector employee: 'I know from the budget that I will get an extra $24,000 (tax free) per annum. It is not much but it will help in some way. I also heard that there is a lot being done in the agriculture sector and I am pleased that there is an increase in aquaculture. I understand that sugar production is also to be increased and that there are higher yields in rice. I was happy that the number of house lots to be given out is to be higher this year. There is to be significant developments in water. I understand that it is only Georgetown which has a dependence on surface water because of the drought. Generally I think that everything planned will go well in this budget'.

Patrick Clarke - security guard: 'I don't think that the $2,000 increase in the threshold will help much. It may be able to help in some small way, as some people work for minimum wage and the extra money can come in handy. It will be more pressure on people who have to pay increased light bill, water rates and bus fares. I am a working man and I find it hard to put food on the table. A lot of the development that the Government has planned is good but they will have to ensure that contractors do good work, because it is the people's money being spent. Roads, schools, bridges and other works should be carried out by persons who can be held responsible if the works are not up to standard. All these things should be looked into by the relevant authorities'.

Brian Annamunthodoo - private sector employee: 'Nothing has changed. Even though they gave us an extra $2,000, it still goes back in telephone bills and light bills. They are giving us the money and taking it back diplomatically. I am happy to hear that the housing ministry has made moves to regularise squatter settlements. I heard some persons received their titles for lands in Sophia some days back. I heard too that the Minister of Works said that he is moving to make the harbour bridge into a corporation. I have to say that there has been significant improvement in the operations of the bridge, with mishaps being caused externally by privately owned vessels. And the damages to the bridge resulting from these mishaps were quickly repaired. Other than that, the bridge has been operating effectively. I hope that the crossing fees don't go up as a result of the corporatisation of the entity'.

Anthony Hubbard - Critchlow Labour College student: 'I don't think that interest at the bank should be taxed because it is being earned on your money. When the Government has to pay increases they try to find the money from the people by some means. If you're a teacher and the union bargains for an increase of 30%, the government, first of all, will try to beat them down, and second, try to implement measures to make that extra money to be able to pay. It only means that you are paying yourself. The increase in the income tax threshold is not making sense because costs keep rising all the time. It should not have been raised by $2,000 only'.

Anthony Paul - weeding machine operator: 'I don't think that the raise in the tax threshold will help anything. The money is too small. Bus fares increase and I don't even think that gas prices raise again. The Government called this the biggest ever budget so we have to wait and see what comes out of it. The cost of living is still very high'.

Natasha Lowe - accounts clerk: 'The tax threshold should have been raised higher. I can't do anything with $2,000 dollars. It might be the biggest budget, yes, but it doesn't include the public servants. I hope that the Home Affairs Ministry is better equipped to deal with the crime situation. I don't think that new weapons alone will solve anything. The salaries of police officers need to be examined also training and workshops are needed for officers'.

Gail Johnson - public sector employee: 'I believe that imposing the telephone tax is wrong. People have to pay all these new taxes without any increases in salary. The tax threshold should have been moved up to $25,000 or $30,000 because most persons work for over $20,000. You have to pay telephone bills, light bills, transportation and we only got an increase of 5% in December. We will be spending more than we receive. I think that it is good that the Ministry of Housing and Water is going to give out more house lots and titles this year'.

Donna Robinson - salesgirl: 'The increase in the tax threshold is good but it should have been more, because people have to pay other bills. All they do is give and take back. They should not have implemented certain things such as the tax for phone calls. This is what is causing the high crimes in the country. You still have to pay more money as the cost of living is increasing'.