The distribution of the $100,000 cash grant to persons aged 18-years and older can be an asset to empower citizens to create long-term wealth and opportunities.During the second episode of ‘In the Seat’ that aired on Saturday evening, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said the grant should not be perceived merely as cash handouts.
During the live broadcast, the president pointed out that by using the grant as an investment platform, beneficiaries can pool their resources together and embark on business initiatives that will ultimately grow their net income, build wealth and contribute to the nation’s progress.
“When you take it from the individual, family and community level, you [would] understand the comprehensive, holistic impact it can have on individual, community and national wealth creation,” the president explained.
He assured public servants that they will receive their grants before the end of 2024.
To date, 50,000 public servants and members of the disciplined services have been registered. Cheques have already begun printing and will soon be distributed to the various agencies.
Meanwhile, approximately 221,000 residents of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) have already registered for the grant. So far, the Ministry of Finance has verified the personal details provided by 156,000 registrants.
Approximately $30 billion will be placed into the hands of Guyanese during the first phase of distribution. The cash grant will benefit 300,000 citizens.
President Ali elaborated on the mechanism that needs to be followed to ensure the highest standard of transparency in the grant’s distribution. These include a thorough coordination between the Ministry of Finance, the Auditor General’s Office, the Bank of Guyana (BoG) and the Regional Democratic Councils (RDC).“The capturing of persons in Region Four is ongoing and we are hoping that once there’s enough data in the system, that we can start paying out the cheques,” he stated.
To ensure every Guyanese aged 18-years and older benefit, a second phase of registration will be undertaken for those who were otherwise unable to register.
This is part of the government’s broader strategy to generate long-term wealth for citizens. Additional measures are expected to be outlined in the next national budget.
President Ali reiterated the government’s commitment to linking cash transfers to a specific outcomes such as supporting the vulnerable and the elderly.
The head of state had previously announced a $2 billion fertiliser subsidy for thousands of farmers across Guyana.
In addition, $875 million will be expended to grant persons living with permanent disabilities a one-off cash grant of $35,000. Apart from cash transfers, the government is also investing in constructing specialised facilities catering to those with special needs.“
These are investments that are important if we are going to build prosperity for everyone. Because prosperity built in every home, means investing in the vulnerable population so that they are not left out,” the president said. (Department of Public Information)
