The ongoing United States Government shutdown will have no major impact on Guyana, says the country’s Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo.
Jagdeo, during a press conference on Thursday, stated that flights could be affected as U.S flight control officers face furlough.
“The army have to work without pay in the US. So, those are issues. And then I think the patent office but we don’t have many patents there. I think the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration. So, if we require any permit to export maybe some of our produce it may affect some of those agencies. But I don’t see anything major. I don’t see any major impact on Guyana from the US government shutdown,” the economist and former Finance Minister noted.
The U.S. government shutdown of October 1, 2025, is due to a deadlock in Congress over federal spending for the 2026 fiscal year. Key disputes include extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, cuts to foreign aid, and reductions in public broadcasting funding. The shutdown has furloughed about 900,000 federal workers and left 700,000 working without pay, while essential services continue. Economically, it could cost up to $15 billion in GDP per week and reduce consumer spending by $30 billion. Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats are ongoing, with no resolution yet.
