—50,000 public servants to be first group of beneficiaries; new platform to be launched for registration of other eligible citizens
SENIOR Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Thursday, announced that the government will commence the distribution of the $100,000 cash grant next week.
During an interview with the National Communications Network (NCN), Dr Singh said that some 50,000 public servants will be the first cohort to receive payments directly to their bank accounts.
“This time around, we are going to be prioritising payments through bank accounts, because we want to make it a seamless and as smooth and as efficient and as easy as possible,” the finance minister said.
President Dr Irfaan Ali had previously encouraged all citizens to open bank accounts as part of government’s digitisation agenda.
“We have over 50,000 of such central government employees, public servants, teachers, members of the discipline services who have already provided us with their bank account information and who already received their government salaries into their bank accounts,” Dr Singh said.
He added: “I’m extremely pleased to say that during the course of next week, these central government employees who would have already received their government salaries into their bank accounts will receive their cash grants.”
Meanwhile, to allow for the disbursement of the grant to other citizens, the government will be launching an online digital platform to be announced in due course to facilitate registration of all other eligible beneficiaries with guidance to be provided on the use of the platform.
Additionally, the Ministry of Finance has been working with financial institutions to simplify the process of opening bank accounts as well as to facilitate the opening of these accounts online.
Demerara Bank Limited, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited and Scotiabank Guyana Incorporated are facilitating the online opening of bank accounts.
The ministry reminded citizens of the government’s pledge to further promote financial inclusion amongst citizens and make financing more easily and affordably available to Guyanese businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and households, with the objective of fostering a more inclusive financial system.
The aim is to empower all Guyanese citizens to access financial systems and participate in saving and investment opportunities across the country.
Guyanese have benefited from different forms of cash transfers over the past five years. Some of these interventions include the distribution of cash grants for newborn babies, and the Because We Care cash grant to students in both public and private schools. New measures, including transportation grants for students and pensioners, were also announced this year.
In late 2024, the PPP/C Government initiated the first $100,000 National Cash Grant for every Guyanese citizen age 18 and older which saw the transfer of more than $60 billion of disposable income into the pockets of over 600,000 Guyanese.
Citizens aged 18 years and older in Guyana will once again now benefit from this second $100,000 National Cash Grant this year. When completed, a total of over $60 billion is expected to be transferred to these citizens.
