WIN pressures government to honour Christmas cash-grant promise

We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), now the majority opposition, is pressuring the government to honour the Christmas cash-grant promise referenced by senior officials earlier in the year, saying that many citizens are still awaiting confirmation as the holiday season approaches.

In a social media statement through their Team Mohamed’s Facebook page, WIN pointed to President Irfaan Ali’s August 26, 2025 remarks at a PPP/C meeting in Eccles, where he suggested that a holiday cash grant could be forthcoming, telling supporters, “We will have a beautiful Christmas.” The statement was made while the President discussed measures aimed at supporting citizens.

The opposition also highlighted Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo’s October 2, 2025 response during his weekly press conference, when he said that “whatever the President said on the campaign trail will be done,” after being asked directly about the Christmas cash grant. Jagdeo further noted that multiple cash-grant initiatives were expected over the government’s five-year term.

More recently, on November 5, 2025, President Ali told media operatives that support measures—including cash grants for individuals and vulnerable groups—would be announced before the end of the year. He did not confirm whether the anticipated Christmas grant remained part of that plan.

In their many calls for Government to announce a date for the promised Christmas Cash Grant, WIN has, in the past, said that the sequence of public statements created a legitimate expectation and stressed that its call is based on the public’s need for clarity and consistency.

The organisation emphasised that honouring the commitment, or providing a definitive update, would help families plan more effectively for the year-end period.

Cash-grant programmes have been a feature of recent government support initiatives, including the 2024 one-off $100,000 distribution that reached approximately 600,000 adults. WIN noted that citizens are looking for certainty on whether similar assistance will be available this Christmas.