Public servants to get $25,000 one-off grant soon

– Finance personnel already processing grant

– Dr. Singh

Hon. Dr. Ashni Singh, Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, says the $25,000 one-off grant for public servants is currently being processed to ensure workers receive their money soon.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, today, announced a one-off grant of $25,000 for public sector workers. The grant, which is valued approximately $2 billion would benefit over 60,000 workers.

In an interview with DPI Thursday evening, the Finance Minister said, “We see this initiative as being extremely important, not only in the context of the hardship faced by employees of the Public Sector, but also as an important initiative in terms of the economic activity that it would stimulate.”

The beneficiaries include workers within the Central Government, statutory bodies, subvention agencies, public corporations, teachers, medical workers, Members of the Joint Services, Government pensioners and staff of the University of Guyana to assist them with the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Singh said following the President’s announcement, he immediately instructed personnel at his office to start processing the grant.

“Our intention is to ensure that Public Sector employees receive this grant immediately and also work is ongoing to ensure the process is done as swiftly as possible,” Dr. Singh said.

He added, “Needless to say, that this grant is being paid by Government in recognition of the hardship that has been faced and the challenging circumstances that have surrounded the daily existence of not only employees of the public sector but their families and the wider public.”

The Finance Minister said the one-off grant to the Public Sector employees is in addition to the many initiatives designed to bring relief to citizens. He recalled that the Government has also, in December, distributed a two-week tax-free bonus to Members of the Disciplined Services and frontline workers in the health sector. Further, citizens are also benefiting from the ongoing $25,000 COVID-19 relief cash grant.

The two-week tax-free bonus and the COVID-19 cash grant initiatives have already put over some $8 billion of disposable income in the hands of Guyanese. The added $2 billion will take that figure pass $10 billion. Dr. Singh said if Guyanese should make an assessment, they would realise that they have received much from Government to date. However, these benefits are just the beginning of what the Government has in store for the nation. “These initiatives are to be seen within the context of stated policy objectives that we have outlined as a Government,” the Minister said.