PUBLIC Servants and pensioners will be among the first set of Guyanese adults to receive the promised $100,000 cash grant by the end of November.
This is according to President, Dr Irfaan Ali, who made the announcement during the first edition of “In The Seat,” where he discussed a range of issues, including the announced cash grant.

“Of course, before the end of the month, the easy data sets, like public sector employees, pensioners all of that will be easily paid off,” the President revealed.

The Head of State said that the government has already worked on a mechanism to deliver this grant to all Guyanese adults, as he added that as far as possible, they would wish to have this done via cheque.
He said that while there are already natural data sets such as all public sector employees and all old age pensioners, it would be easy to cut those cheques as the system is there. However, for others, he indicated that a system has to be in place to collect that data.

Against this backdrop, he added, “The training would have been ongoing for the persons who will go now and work with the regions in the fields to collect the data.”
Giving an example, he said that during the coming weekend, a team will be deployed to Region Nine to gather data on things such as identification cards and have that inputted into the system electronically.
“So, they have their tablets, they will go out into the field in two days, register them, bring them in and then all the cheques will be cut on the system and go back out to the persons. So, you have built-in accountability, transparency, involvement to the regional level [and] national level,” he said, which will effectively and efficiently build the system.

This system, which consists of a new application that was developed, will see several engagements in other communities to gather data and further have the cash grants disbursed via cheque.
The head of state reiterated that the move to have $100,000 distributed to all Guyanese 18 years and above, came following feedback from the general population about being possibly left out of the previous $200,000 per household announcement.
“So, to avoid all of that, like a good team, the cabinet, we decided that the more effective approach would be to give $100,000 to every person,” he said.

Dr Ali noted that as a result of the government being ‘plugged into reality’ and listening to what citizens say about how policies affect them, the government was able to aggressively respond to a policy that brought greater satisfaction.