–physical help desks to be set up, home visits to shut-ins, vulnerable groups to commence this week, Finance Minister says
SENIOR Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, has announced that more than 140,000 Guyanese have already received their $100,000 cash grant via direct bank transfers.
During an update on the initiative on Tuesday evening, Dr Singh said that the government first targeted central government employees for whom bank account information was already on file. A total of 48,858 such employees had received their grants directly into their bank accounts.
To reach the wider population, the government established an online portal at cashgrant.gov.gy, allowing citizens to self-register for the grant.
According to Dr Singh, 126,011 persons have used the portal to complete self-registration, and 91,688 have already received their grants via direct transfer. This brought the total number of direct deposits processed so far to 140,546, combining both central government employees and self-registered applicants.
Recognising the specific challenges faced by communities in the hinterland regions, particularly limited access to banking services, the government has also launched a targeted outreach in those areas.
In Region Nine, teams were deployed to assist residents with registration, including those without bank accounts. As a result, 10,417 payments have been processed for Region Nine alone, through a combination of direct transfers and cheques.
In total, 150,963 cash grants have now been processed nationwide.
Dr Singh described the rollout to date as “extremely successful”, highlighting the large number of beneficiaries reached in a relatively short period using “simple and efficient” processes.
He urged those who have not yet registered to do so using the online portal, emphasising that it is the easiest and most efficient way to receive the grant directly into a bank account without leaving home.
In addition to the digital and banking-based approach, the minister announced a series of support measures for vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups.
Similar special registration exercises for Region Nine will be rolled out in every other hinterland region, with teams assisting residents who lack access to banking facilities or have difficulty completing the online process.
A dedicated initiative will also be launched to support shut-ins, including the elderly and persons who are otherwise incapacitated and unable to leave their homes.
Using a database generated from the old age pension and NIS records, government teams will visit shut-ins at home to assist with registration and ensure they are able to receive their grants.
“We’re going to be rolling out a special initiative to assist shut-in persons who are unable to leave their homes, perhaps because they’re elderly or they’re otherwise incapacitated. We’re going to be coming to your homes and assisting shut-ins,” the finance minister said.
Furthermore, help desks are to be established at several locations across the country, staffed by specially trained personnel who will provide in-person assistance to citizens who, for any reason, are unable to complete the self-registration online.
These additional measures, Dr Singh said, are expected to begin later this week, as the government intensifies efforts to ensure that all eligible Guyanese can access the National Cash Grant.
“We’re going to be establishing some help desks in several locations countrywide, so that citizens can come in, who for one reason or another, were unable to complete their self-registration. They can come in and they can obtain assistance from persons who have been specially trained to be able to complete the registration process online,” Dr Singh said.
