‘Income boost for businesses, families with schoolchildren’
Pretty Debideen, a Medex at Fort Island
Pretty Debideen, a Medex at Fort Island

– $25,000 one-off cash grant timely for hinterland, riverine residents

THE rising cost of living has had severe effects on many households across Guyana. Those effects, however, have especially been felt by persons living in hinterland and riverine communities as those communities are disproportionately affected by economic hardships and lack of resources, due to their remoteness.
President, Dr Irfaan Ali recently announced a $25,000 cash grant for hinterland communities. Some potential beneficiaries have lauded the government’s initiative to cushion the effects of the recent rise in prices of commodities, heightened by the ongoing war in eastern Europe and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pretty Debideen, a Medex at Fort Island, Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), told the Guyana Chronicle that the cash grant will be of great benefit to the residents of Fort Island and many other riverine communities.

59-year-old, Sita Bookhan of Bonasika

“It [cash grant] would be very beneficial because income is low on Fort Island. Then, we have [a] majority [of people] who are single parents on Fort Island. So, I know that the $25,000 would benefit the island persons.”
Debideen explained that many residents of hinterland and riverine communities do not have a fixed income, as such they have been feeling the brunt of the recent economic hardships.
“They would use it to purchase food and whatever they need. The cost of living is high right now and [there is] not much source of income on the island… [The cash grant] would benefit the residents with finances for children to go to school and buy ration to be in the house,” she explained further adding —
“And I can tell you from working in the catchment areas and other riverine communities and in most areas there; in Caria Caria and Lanaballi… persons in these areas find it difficult.
“They do labour work and they work sometimes $2500 or $3000 a day and when you only have two days’ work with five and six kids to feed and send to school, by the end of the week, it’s very difficult,” Debideen continued.
Given the challenges faced by residents in hinterland and riverine communities, Debideen, believes that persons living in those areas should be recipients of a regular cash grant, to buttress their households.
“I believe it (cash grant) should be given constantly like every other month or every two months because giving that would benefit residents in the riverine areas. I would be happy to see it constantly given in the riverine areas,” she expressed
Meanwhile, 64-year-old, Victoria Adina Hohenkirk of Caria Caria, a village located along the Essequibo River, outlined her plans for spending the cash grant.
“I have two kids and a grandchild,” she explained. The elder said she has a small business which she would use the money to invest in. She also said there are some Caria Caria residents with children who have difficulty sending them to school. This grant, she believes, would help those families.
While she is grateful for the assistance, Hohenkirk said persons living in villages like Caria Caria should be recipients of a regular cash grant.
“I think it (cash grant distribution) should be an ongoing something. But not every month; like two or three months depending on how y’all negotiate the matter and check up on us if they want and so. I am very happy.”
Meanwhile, 59-year-old, Sita Bookhan of the farming community, Bonasika Creek, Region 3 expressed her gratitude, also hoping to put the money towards her small business.
“I will be able to use the cash grant to supplement it with the income I get from my shop. I sell a variety of goods that people in the riverine Bonasika community can purchase at their convenience,” she said
Additionally, Bookhan believes the cash grant will assist many farmers in the community with the purchasing of fertilizers and other agriculture products.
“The cash grant for people in Bonasika will help like when the rain is falling and you have your crops, there are a lot of losses.
“Sometimes, you go [to] spray the crops and spray the farm and the rain fall. You lose everything. My husband buy (sic) $12,000 [in] medicine and half hour after, the rain fall (sic) and wash it away,” she said adding: “It would help me buy manure or drugs for the farm.”
Last month, President Ali announced the welfare measure as part of measures being financed by the $5 billion that was set aside in the 2022 national budget to cushion the rising cost of living.
This measure is expected to put an additional $800 million in disposable income back into the hands of ordinary Guyanese and will add to the other public support measures that the government has implemented over the past three years as the world faced back-to-back global hardships which have skyrocketed inflation across developed and developing nations. (Contributing reporter Shari Simon)

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