‘Guard against misinformation’ – McCoy urges as budget debates unfold

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy is urging persons to guard against misinformation from the opposition benches as the parliamentary debates unfold.

“You will hear a lot of noises. And by the way, we are in the midst of a situation where people are certainly out with their machinery, which provides rapid disinformation and misinformation to our people. So, you have to be able to decipher for yourself what is truth, what is facts, and what is intended to be mischief,” he urged.

“You will see a lot of people dress up with nice suits, perhaps much more fancy than I can look, and their nice lipsticks, and their hair well-groomed, and they will speak much more eloquently than I can, and they sound, you know, with a little accent, a bit from the British, a bit from the West, wherever. And they will try to convince you, this budget has nothing for you…But you have to think through the motives,” the minister added.

The $1.558 trillion Budget 2026 was presented on Monday under the theme “Putting Peoples First” and includes a number of measures, policies and programmes in keeping with the 2025 manifesto of the PPP/C.

Once Budget 2026 is passed, the “Because We Care” cash grant will increase to $60,000 per child, benefitting some 206,000 children. This translates to in excess of $12 billion in direct transfer to the population.

Coupled with the $100,000 per adult citizen cash grant initiative,  this represents an accumulative $72.4 billion being disbursed directly into the hands of citizens.

There is also now the annual transportation grant for students, pegged at $20,000 per child.

Old Age Pensioners will now get $46,000 per month, an annual cost of $52 billion, as well as a $20,000 transportation grant. Additionally, the public assistance programme will see $25,000 per person being distributed.

Budget 2026 caters for the removal of VAT on new vehicles below 1500 cc (vehicles less than four years old), to reduce the cost of importation. It also makes provisions for VAT to be removed on hybrid motor vehicles below 2000cc.

The government will also introduce a flat tax of $2 million on double-cab pick-ups less than 2,000 cc, irrespective of age; and $3 million on double-cab pick-ups between 2,000 cc and 2,500 cc, irrespective of age.

Additionally, the government will remove all import duties and taxes on all-terrain vehicles ( ATVs) for all categories. Similarly, all taxes and duties for outboard engines up to 150 horsepower will be eliminated to further reduce the cost of transportation within hinterland and riverain communities.

This year also, the government will continue direct assistance to homeowners with $7.5 billion allocated to support upgrades to homes.

Govt measures shielding citizens from billions in fuel, utility, food, and other costs – Pres. Ali