A total of 1,700 persons are expected to benefit as the Government of Guyana has commenced the distribution of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Public Assistance Vouchers across the country.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Finance, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Ministry of Social Protection, the National COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat and the Guyana Post Office Corporation.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday, beneficiaries were required to apply online or by calling the Ministry of Social Protection to register for the COVID-19 Public Assistance Programme.
Those eligible for assistance include senior citizens heading households, persons with disabilities, persons who suffered loss of income due to the global pandemic along with persons who are currently benefitting or who would have applied for public assistance from the Ministry.
A verification exercise by the Ministry of Communities during Phase One of the programme saw some 1,700 persons being deemed eligible to receive vouchers on the coastland.
According to the statement, those found to be eligible on the coastland will receive the vouchers via the post office’s registered mail system and would be required to sign upon receiving it. These vouchers can be encashed at several supermarkets across the country and will provide recipients with fresh foods, dry rations and sanitation items. Eligible hinterland residents will receive packaged hampers, which cater to their diets.
Recipients would then be required to select a supermarket from the list accompanying the voucher and call ahead 24 hours before they intend to uplift the items covered by the voucher. The name and identification card (ID) number of the recipient must be provided.
On the following day, recipients are required to visit that supermarket, taking with them the voucher and their ID Card. These must be presented to the supermarket representative, who will verify the information. Once verification has been completed, the recipient will be issued with a package containing the items covered by the voucher.
The statement said recipients must observe the Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 protocols including the wearing of a mask, sanitation of hands and physical distancing.
It added that the voucher is not transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
Persons who may be eligible but have not yet applied can still do so. The application form can be downloaded from the Ministry of Social Protection’s website at https://mosp.gov.gy/ or https://government.gy/eform/241.
Persons who do not have internet access can contact the Ministry of Communities or the Ministry of Social Protection on toll-free numbers listed below to have their application forms completed by an officer:
Mondays to Fridays 8am to 12noon
264 2690|225 6202| 227 4410| 232 0952| 337 2667
Mondays to Fridays 12noon to 5pm – 615 0507| 615 9495| 615 9990| 615 7839|665 2271| 615 9727| 615 7829
Saturdays and Sundays 9am to 5pm
615 9730| 615 9704| 615 9825| 615 9729| 615 9518| 615 8474| 616 2576
“Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for verification purposes before support is released. Only eligible applicants will receive the assistance,” the statement concluded.
Early last month, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) invited supermarkets and shops to submit Expressions of Interest to supply items under the COVID-19 Pandemic Assistance Vouchers programme.
According to a notice posted by the CDC, suppliers were notified that the expressions of interest will be evaluated based on capacity to supply canned and bottled food products and dry fresh ration at an estimated value between $25,000 and $32,000 monthly per voucher.
