Government committed to COVID-19 cash grant programme

-We will honour the pink slip

-Min. McCoy

The Government intends to honour the pink/query slips being issued to families during the first distribution phase of its $25,000 per household COVID-19 relief cash grant programme.

Minister of Public Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Kwame McCoy gave the assurance during his contribution to the budget debate on Monday.

“The pink slip, Mr. Speaker, which is being used for the COVID-19 cash grant relief programme is a slip that we are proud to be associated with in the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, because it represents the second phase. The second phase of a programme that seeks to bring relief to the simple man and woman and to every household in this country. We intend to honour the pink slip.” 

The Minister said just as in the first phase, every household submitting a pink slip will be verified and once cleared will be given the grant. Minister McCoy said he was confident Guyanese understood that the Government was doing the best it could for them, with the resources at its disposal.

“Every Guyanese, whether you go to Region One or wherever you go, they are happy and they know that it is the best that the Government can do given the circumstance and what we have, our financial resources available. Mr Speaker, we will continue to make our people happy right across this country during our first term, second term, third term, fourth term and fifth term in Government.”  

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, last September announced several relief programmes to offset the challenges of the Covid pandemic, with the cash grant being one of them. The National Assembly in December approved a $17.4 billion supplementary budget, with $2.5 billion in additional provisions for the COVID-19 cash grant programme.  

Primary households were given the grant during the first phase; however, if there were more families occupying the same premises, then the pink form was issued and a follow up done in the second phase.

Over 16,000 pink slips have been submitted.