Additional $2.5B approved for COVID-19 relief grants

WITH the distribution of the COVID-19 relief grant ongoing in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), the most densely populated of the country’s 10 administrative regions, the National Assembly has approved an additional sum of $2.5 billion to facilitate the completion of the exercise.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud noted that the other regions are almost complete, and distribution is ongoing in Region Four, with communities along the East Coast and East Bank Demerara and in Greater Georgetown currently benefiting.
“This allocation is to facilitate the current process in Region Four, which will not include the ‘pink’ slips because we are still in the process of doing the first phase in Region Four… It was the primary households that were included in the first phase; even if it’s a home, and they have three other households, they should receive the ‘pink’ slips, and they will be captured in the second phase,” the minister said.

She noted that physical verification is ongoing in Region Four, while the second phase, which involves the ‘pink slips’, is ongoing in the other regions. Ministry staffers are also visiting homes that may have been missed during the first phase of distribution.
Dr. Persaud further explained that due to the absence of accurate data, the government has had to rely on the Regional Democratic Councils and the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils to do the physical verification of these households.
“At the regional level, a list of households is compiled and certified by the Regional Executive Officer. Based on this list, the REO submits a request for support from the Government,” the minister said. “So, it’s not done ad hoc; the request, once verified, and funds are subsequently transferred to the REO, the REO is tasked with ensuring a transparent accounting system is in place to document and record the distribution grants,” she added.

More than 153,000 households across Guyana have so far benefited from the Government’s $25,000 per household COVID-19 relief cash grant initiative.
Some 16,075 pink slips/query forms have also been filled out.
According to Minister Persaud, the distribution is serving its purpose, in that it is alleviating much hardship in households that are struggling. Former President, Mr. David Granger has lauded the initiative. The minister told the National Assembly that an audit of the process will be conducted.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.