According to Dr. Ashni Singh, Minister of Finance, $208.9B is set to be withdrawn from Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF) for 2023 budgetary purposes. This NRF contribution is slightly over 25% of this year’s budget, and it is to be used for “national development priorities.” In a country where transparency and accountability have been reduced to political vulgarities, there is this additional mystery of “national development priorities” which is the perfect camouflage for any degree of skullduggery. There are two things to be said with what is happening with oil money already withdrawn, and more of it to be drawn down as this year progresses.