AN accurate household count will be key to identifying the exact number of eligible recipients for the one-off $200,000 cash grant recently announced by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, thereby ensuring that the resources are allocated equitably.
In this regard, Chief Statistician at the Bureau of Statistics Errol La Cruez gave the assurance that robust systems are in place to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of the much-anticipated cash grant to eligible households nationwide.
This publication reached out to La Cruez on Tuesday to ask whether the Bureau of Statistics was in a position to supply the government with the essential data needed to carry out the distribution.
He explained that the use of data from the 2022 census would be at the heart of the distribution process.
According to him, the data collected from the census is comprehensive, encompassing a broad range of demographic and socioeconomic information.
He said that the data goes beyond the crucial figures on the overall population count as it captures important details about the number of households in the country.
La Cruez also revealed that a preliminary report based on the 2022 census will be made public “very, very soon.”
When questioned about if households that were not included in the 2022 census would be disenfranchised, the chief statician said that he is confident that the government has established appropriate systems to address this issue as well as the emergence of new households.
To facilitate cash grant distribution, the census will define what constitutes a household, he noted.
In his address to the Parliament last Thursday, President Ali announced that the $200,000 cash grant is part of the government’s broader strategy to improve the quality of life for citizens, injecting $60 billion of new disposable income into households across the country.
Stand-alone households, rental apartments, condominiums, and other residences in multi-space buildings will all be considered eligible households. One of the resources that will be used to determine the number of households in Guyana will be the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) database. Village councils will be used to verify households in Amerindian communities.
In a recent interview, Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo emphasised the importance of establishing a robust system to ensure the grant is properly and equitably distributed.
He highlighted that while the government is working expeditiously to commence sharing out the money, such large-scale initiatives require careful planning to avoid potential mishaps.
“We want to get the system in place. So, I anticipate that within the next five months we would complete the [distribution] process,” Jagdeo explained.
“We have to do it properly and that is why we are trying to devise a system so that every eligible household can get it and that they’re not left out. But at the same time, we have to safeguard taxpayers’ money too, and not allow people to cheat the system,” he said.
The government has said that the Audit Office and the Finance Ministry will play an important role in the verification and payment process to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution of the cash grant.
The announcement of payment methods—including cheques, direct bank account transfers, and cash where applicable—provides flexibility for recipients.