With their information already in the Government’s database, public servants and pensioners will be the first in line to receive the one-off $100,000 cash grant, starting this month, President Irfaan Ali has disclosed.
Appearing on a new Government produced programme – In the Seat – on Wednesday night, President Ali assured that public servants and pensioners will receive their cash grant before November comes to a close.
“Before the end of the month, the easy data sets like the public sector employees, the pensioners, all of that would be easily paid off,” President Ali said.
The grant will be paid via cheque.
Additionally, the President said the Government will be collecting data from the ground to capture eligible Guyanese who are not within the Government’s data base.
Citing an example, the President explained that from this weekend, data will be gathered from Region Nine and will be inputted into an electronic system using an app. He said once the data is processed, the cheques will be processed for the persons in that area.
According to Mr. Ali, all Guyanese will be in receipt of the cash grant before the end of the year.
In an attempt to clear up some misconceptions relating to the grant, the President clarified that the one-off cash grant is not intended to replace the annual increases offered to public servants.
“I have already said that before the end of the year, public servants’ annual salary increase will be paid out, retroactive, like normal. The Joint Services reintroduced their bonus. We don’t take away benefits, we gave benefits,” the president assured the nation.
The Opposition has been highly critical of Government’s approach to the cash grant, which is intended to cushion the impact of the rise in the cost of living including food prices.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the Alliance For Change (AFC), and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) have all said the move by President Ali to scrap his Administration’s initial plan of giving each Guyanese household a one off cash grant of $200,000, and replacing it with a $100,000 cash grant targeting adult Guyanese who live in and out of Guyana, is reflective of the Government’s inability to plan effectively.
Former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, who served under the David Granger Administration, had argued that the $100,000 one-off cash grant would be more impactful, capturing a wider group of people.
President Ali said in a democracy, the Government listens, and while the initial Government strategy had a “clear path”, it was prepared to listen to the people of Guyana, and act on appropriate recommendations.
“Like a good team, the Cabinet, we decided that a more effective approach would then be to give $100,000 to every person, and it takes courageous leadership, it takes sensible leadership, it takes responsible, it takes dignified leadership, not people who try to steal election, it takes dignified leadership to then say to the public we have heard you,” the President said.
The Government is expected to approach the National Assembly soon for funding to finance the initiative.
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