By Annette Ferguson, MP- The PPP/C’s posture on the $100K cash grant has not been sitting well with many Guyanese. From the time this announcement was made on October 10, 2024 by President Ali in his addressed to the Parliament that every household will receive $200,000.00 cash grant for high cost of living and this will be done ‘instantaneously.’
Subsequently, there was the shifting to a $100,000.00 to Guyanese eighteen (18) years and older, voters list generated by GECOM will be used to effect payments, an ‘app’ to be created by Ministry of Finance and NDMA. All this was pronounced by Mr. Jagdeo, who perhaps has the final say on government matters. To qualify for the cash grant, all eligible persons must be registered. Therefore, what has become of the ‘app’?
The Parliamentary Opposition is on record denouncing the actions and approaches employed by the government regarding the registration process and insisting that persons photos and other information should be provided.
Long before tabling financial supplementary papers, for the approval of the $30.5B for the Cash Grant, I learnt of persons being registered and verified in Region 9.
On Wednesday, November 27, 2024 during the consideration of Financial Paper #4, where approval for the $30.5B was being sought, the Opposition Members sought clarity on the following questions:
- Why are persons forced to take photos, when their ID cards are tendered during registration?
- Why are persons forced to conduct reregistration, when GECOM is the Constitutional body to conduct such?
- How many Pensioners and Public Servants will be benefiting from the first tranche of $30.5B?
- When will other categories of Guyanese receive their cash Grants?
- When will the distribution commenced for the categories of Public Servants and Pensioners?
- Guyanese who are not in the jurisdiction at the time of registration, how will they be facilitated?
The Hansard will show that Prime Minister Mark Phillips was incapable of providing basic and reasonable responses to the questions, which I believe any fourth grade pupil would answer. What was egregious, is the mendacious behaviors of Government Members, especially Mr. Kwame McKoy.
When the Government was reminded of what Mr. Ali stated when he addressed the Parliament, “…cash grant ($200,000.00) will be paid instantaneously.’ Oh Mr. McKoy went off in his usual ‘gutter like behavior,’ claiming that Mr. Ali never uttered the word, ‘instantaneously.’ I know what I heard, and so as well all Guyanese.
What was demonstrated by Mr. Mark Phillips, in the National Assembly last Wednesday, November 27, 2024; is that the government is incompetent, there is no coherent plan for the implementation and distribution of the $100K cash grant.
My colleagues and I were equipped with several questions for Mr. Phillips; however, we were constrained by Speaker Manzoor Az, MP. One can only assume that the Government has something to hide! One such question I had for Mr. Phillips, why the disbursement of the $100K is under his portfolio and programme, ‘Disaster Risk Management’ and what are the disasters?
It is necessary for me to remind your readers, during the $25K COVID-19 cash grant disbursement, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security effected the payouts, cash grants to farmers, sugar workers, rice farmers, were paid by the Ministry of Agriculture. Is this $100K a set up for Prime Minister Mark Phillips, and him allowing himself to be used as a scapegoat? Something is not right!
Over the weekend of November 30-December 1, 2024, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security published its schedules for 2025 OAP books distribution, with an additional publication that pensioners will also be registered for their cash grants simultaneously. National Insurance also published their schedule, where and when pensioners can be registered.
Imagine, the National was told that Public Servants and Pensioners will be the first to receive the cash grant disbursement. Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo stated at his last presser (Thursday, November 28, 2024) that all other Guyanese will receive theirs after approval of additional sums in Budget 2025, by the National Assembly.
Lo and behold, detailed schedules are in circulation for Region 9. From all observations, it appears Public Servants, Teachers, Pensioners and residents in region 9 will receive their $100K, taking effect from today (Tuesday, December 3, 2024). This arrangement shows know dishonest and disingenuous the PPP/C can be.
Editor, for those familiar with the landscape of region 9, will know that many of the villages are sparse, they are manned by village Councillors, they do NOT have banking facilities in closed proximity, since many are forced to hisse in excess of $6,000.00 in transportation costs.
Therefore, I would like to put the following questions to Prime Minister Mark Phillips, MP:
- What arrangements are in place for residents in far flung areas in Rupununi to encash their cheques?
- Will residents be forced to leave their communities and travel to Lethem to have their cheques encash?
- Will the residents be paid with cash by their village leaders?
- Which entity or officials have oversight, to ensure monies or cheques are verified and accountable, and the process is transparent?
A Government that practices the tenets of good governance, a program like the $100K would ensure the following are done:
a) Ensure ALL registration is done by a date for those in country. When this phase is completed, move to the next step:
b) Provide a listing of ALL pensioners, whether Old Age, NIS, joint services and government.
c) Listing of number of active Public Servants, those who are pensioners and working month to month, contracted employees, number of teachers, nurses and doctors.
d) Listing of current numbers in the joint services.
e) Listing of ALL eligible Guyanese eighteen years and older, as per region.
With the above approach, the Government will be equipped with veri, which will allow them to make informed decisions. It will also alleviate CORRUPTION! Now, that the Government has commenced registration, and payments, then as a Member of the National Assembly, I called on Prime Minister Mark Phillips to make the following public:
- Number of ALL pensioners registered as of today (Tuesday, December 3, 2024).
- A disaggregation per numbers of persons registered in Central Lethem, Deep South, South Central, North Rupununi and South Pakaramais.
It is my hope that Prime Minister Phillips to be reluctant in providing the above information, since region 9 has completed its registration and the Cash Grant as per schedules are well on its way for disbursement, effective from December 3, 2024 to December 7, 2024.
As I prepare to conclude, I am not clear what mechanisms the government have in place to facilitate persons who never had an ID card, just registered with GECOM and awaiting for same to be processed, persons misplaced their ID cards and do not have an eligible passport to participate in the registration process.
I conclude, the PPP/C under the leadership of Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo is NO good for Guyana and the management of our Nation’s, oil bonanza. There must be accountability for the initial $30.5B. This is NOT PPP/C’s money of Mr. Jagdeo’s. The Government must come clean with the people of Guyana on this $100K cash grant and stop the duplicity and hypocrisy they are playing.