–defends efforts of staff undertaking the process

GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has condemned attempts by the opposition political machinery to instigate chaos and confusion in the distribution of the $100,000 cash grant.

Only recently, a popular social media commentator falsely claimed in a live broadcast that the cash grant cheques were valid for three days. This deliberate move to spread misinformation has led to unnecessary panic, with many citizens rushing to the banks to cash their cheques.

“This deliberate misleading must be condemned; that created a lot of panic and confusion around the country, and they did it callously…They don’t care [about] the impact it had on people,” Dr. Jagdeo said during his weekly news conference on Thursday.

With the distribution process at an advanced stage, the general secretary noted how the opposition only seeks to highlight isolated complaints, brazenly overriding the successes and the fact that hundreds of thousands of individuals have had a positive experience.
“Now, wherever there is incompetence, wherever there is callousness, we should fix it. But I can’t deny the hard work of hundreds of people who share the cheques to our people, and a lot of people don’t want to wait too,” Dr. Jagdeo stated.

He also blazed the opposition for criticizing the taking of photographs of those persons receiving the cheques, saying that this step is important, since it will prevent fraudsters from collecting cheques that are not theirs.

In addition, Dr. Jagdeo reemphasised that it is the government’s commitment to ensure every eligible person, including shut-ins and the elderly, receives their cash grants.
Arrangements are also being made to deliver funds to those individuals who cannot come out to collect their cheques.
When the initiative is completed, approximately $60 billion in disposable income will have been placed in the pockets of Guyanese. (DPI)