Reg. 10 parents urged to use cash grant for upliftment of their children

The PPP/C Government came in for high praises on Friday, as Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill MP spearheaded the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant programme distribution at the St. Aidan’s Primary School, Region 10.

The exercise saw parents of students from the St. Aidan’s and Christianburg Primary schools receiving their $19,000 cash, which includes the $4,000 School Uniform and Supplies cash grant.

Sheliza Jacobs said the financial support will go a long way in preparing her child for the new school term.

“It’s a great privilege to see that the Government is doing this in our community and even in other parts of the country, “she said.

She explained that after retiring her pension along with the earnings from selling her farm produce are her sources of income.

“This money is for school because where I’m living, we have no electricity and this is the opportunity; I can get her a tablet so that she can learn because she is very intelligent,” Jacobs told DPI.

Another elated parent, Pamela Bailey said “”I feel good that I collect the cash grant. It’s not for me is for my grandchildren and I will use it up buying books and school items for them and thanks very much.”

A proud father, Derick Lowenfield believes that the gesture by the Government provides a wealthy academic future for youngsters in the mining Town.

“It’s really helpful especially for the single parents. Unfortunately, they are not a lot of jobs in Linden at the moment and economically there are people who need help here. So, on my behalf I am very much grateful and thankful for what the Government is doing for us,” the father said.

Deris Lancaster, said “I am just thankful for this cash grant and I will put it to the use because that is what it came for”.

Addressing the parents, Minister Edghill said one of Government’s main priority is education and it will ensure that sufficient mechanisms are put in place for Guyana to remain an educated nation.

Some $3.2 billion was allocated for the programme, with public school students from Region 10 benefitting from over $220 million.

Minister Edghill said not “one cent” from the oil fund was used to finance the initiative. He noted that if the PPP/C Government could have restarted the cash grant in almost one year in office, the previous administration clearly had no interest in the welfare of children during its five-year reign.

“The cash grant initiative was conceptualised and rolled out when we were last in Government. At that time, we give every child $10,000, that would recall about $1.8 billion on our budget. In 2015 it was discontinued, we left government and the new government did not continue it.

They said at the time that they could not find fiscal space or the accommodation in the budget to pay out that money to the children and accuse us that we only did it because we were campaigning. So, over the last five years $10 billion that should have been distributed to the people of Guyana through this initiative was stopped”.

The Public Works Minister urged the parents to disregard all negative political talks and utilise the cash for the upliftment of their children.

“We all have the same desire and that is for our children to be better than us. If you never went to school, you want your children to go to school, if you never had a computer, you want your children to have a computer, if you never went to university, you want your children to go to university. Your children must be an improvement of who you are today. And the only way you can see that kind of improvement is that you have to make investments”.

Other communities in the region are expected to receive their grants next week.