The People’s National Congress Reform continues to decry the process being used to register persons for the $100,000 cash grant for adult Guyanese, and has pointed out that the Government is trying to create a parallel system to frustrate persons, when it could have used existing database to provide the grant via direct bank and cash transfers.

PNC Reform Executive, Elson Lowe, told a news conference today that the move by Government to do registration of persons who are already in its system highlights poor planning.

“We call on the government to cease the unnecessary registration process and for payments to be made, where possible, through the same mechanisms that it currently regularly uses. This will remove the need to needlessly process over 50% of recipients and thereby minimize the burden on the system – and the frustration and time-wasting of citizens. These approximately 300,000 persons need not stand in line either to register, to collect cheques, or to deposit cheques in the bank,” Lowe said. 

According to the PNC/R executive, the Government has failed to utilize data that it already has and is seem to be complicating the process.

“The government has failed to exploit the fact that over 150,000 public servants and pensioners receive monthly payments through an established government scheme. Approximately another 150,000 private sector workers are registered in the GRA tax system. These 300,000 workers and pensioners and tens of thousands of other Guyanese have Tax Identification Numbers (TIN), which are unique identifiers. Furthermore, most citizens already have ID cards. Let us also note that hundreds of thousands have bank accounts and could therefore receive payments by direct government transfer into those accounts,” Lowe said.

The Government has already rolled out the cash grant initiative, with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo indicating that the current focus is on Regions 1, 4,7,8 and 9 as well as pensioners and public servants. 

Mr. Jagdeo clarified too that persons who missed the registration process will still be able to benefit from the cash grant at a later time.

But the PNC/R is saying that the current process is already creating some level of confusion. 

“Not surprisingly, complaints from pensioners, public servants, persons with disabilities, shut-ins, and other citizens are increasingly mounting. We are seeing long waiting times, inadequate and conflicting official communication, inept operations at centres, and some registered persons not receiving cheques. The elderly should not be standing in the hot sun for prolonged periods or at all and pregnant women and people with disabilities should be similarly catered for,” the PNC/R Treasurer stated.

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