48,858 government employees already received $100k cash grant – Min Singh
A total of 48,858 government employees have already received the government’s $100,000 cash grant, delivering on the promise made by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, disclosed on Thursday night that the payments were transferred directly into recipients’ bank accounts in a seamless, fully electronic process.
The beneficiaries, comprising public servants, teachers and members of the disciplined services, were paid “literally with the click of a button”, the minister said during an interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) in Berbice.
Importantly, recipients did not need to go to distribution centres, fill out forms, or wait in lines, as payments were made using the banking information the government already had for their salaries.
Dr Singh explained that this group was prioritised as part of a strategic approach to ensure the most efficient rollout process.
“This was the easiest group to execute because we already had their bank account information and were already paying their salaries electronically,” he noted.
Dr Singh said the experience gained from previous cash grant programmes informed the decision to adopt a more technology-driven approach for this rollout.
With the first phase completed, the government has since expanded the process through an online registration portal. The portal, which was up and running on Thursday, allows all eligible Guyanese to submit their information and receive their grants directly to their bank accounts.
The finance minister emphasised that the initiative is being implemented in phases to ensure smooth delivery, with additional mechanisms being put in place to reach citizens without bank accounts or those in hinterland and remote communities.
He reiterated that all eligible Guyanese, once they meet the criteria of being 18 years or older, citizens, and residing in the country, will receive the cash grant.