Dear Editor,
I noted in the Stabroek News on Friday, October 11, 2024 that President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that every household across Guyana will receive a one- off $200,000 cash grant this year. The Head of State said this as he made a special address to the 12th Parliament of Guyana, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Georgetown. Distribution of the grant is expected to commence instantly, he said. The cash grant, the President said, is part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s aim at reducing disparities in the country, guaranteeing that people have more disposable income. Altogether, about $60 billion will be infused into the economy through this cash grant.
The Honourable Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo explained that the government’s intention is to ensure that every eligible household gets the cash grant and to ensure that the process is not abused. He underscored that determining eligibility and ensuring fairness in distribution would involve a verification process using existing systems like utility billing and community records. I believe the distribution system or criteria for this grant will not be fairly distributed to every Guyanese since it will create for confusion and also taking into consideration the following
1. How do you define a household?
2. Will persons renting be eligible?
3. Will a household with three or more families benefit?
4. What about houses with two separate families living up and downstairs
5. Will the tenants be ineligible since the utilities bills are not in their names?
Without the above not being address properly then the one-off cash grant of $200,000 will end up like the 25,000 cash grant last year where two or more families are living in a house and only one member of the household was qualified for the money, others got a pink slip and still waiting to get theirs or the landlord ended up with all cash grants since the house and utility bill comes in his or her name.
Secondly, the one-off cash grant of $200,000 will also allow cost of living to go up again and the rich get richer and the poor get poorer all because Guyana doesn’t have stock control on items. Yes! We have seen that every time the Government give cash grant that Cost of living goes up. As I can recall, when Minister of Education Priya Manickchand announced that distribution of the “Because We Care” cash grant to children from public and private schools in June 2024 we witnessed an increase of uniforms and basic food items on the market so basically the cash grant is like putting money in one hand and taking it out from the other hand. We can do better
Guyana is on track to produce 1.5 million barrels of oil per day by 2030 and if the Government seriously want to address the high cost of living and poor quality of life experienced daily by most citizens then it should consider providing a house lot to everyone above the age of 18 years old and raise the minimum wages to 300, 000 per month. Reintroduce free education from nursery to university and provide better health care to everyone. This way every Guyanese will able to live, work and enjoy a comfortable life and benefit from the national wealth funds collectively despite which political party is or out of Government. I trust that the Government will consider my proposals which will give every Guyanese a better LIFE.
Sincerely,
Rayvonne P. Bourne
