More than 62,000 Guyanese have already benefited from the government’s National Cash Grant Initiative, with about $6.2 billion processed for distribution directly into citizens’ bank accounts.
This is according to Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Monday.
The $100,000 grant initiative was announced by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali following the re-election of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration.
An initial phase targeted central government employees who already receive salaries through the banking system, including public servants, teachers, and members of the disciplined services. Singh said 48,858 people in this category received their cash grants directly into their bank accounts.
The government has since expanded access through an online registration portal at cashgrant.gov.gy, allowing citizens to apply from home.
Within four days of the platform’s launch, 26,639 people successfully completed registration, while 22,611 began the process but have yet to finish.
Of those who registered, 13,168 applicants have had their information verified and processed, with payments credited within a 24-hour period. Combined with the initial phase, this brings the total to 62,026 people whose grants have been processed.
“I want to urge all of them to complete the process, to log in once again and to complete their self-registration,” the minister said.
“If they encounter perhaps heavy traffic at the initial attempt, as I have previously indicated, I want to urge them perhaps to log in later at a time when the traffic might be a little bit slower because we are seeing very heavy traffic volumes up to now.”
Verification and payment processing will continue in successive batches as more applications are completed.People without bank accounts are encouraged to open one to access faster digital payments, though Singh said alternative arrangements will be implemented in a later phase to ensure full inclusion. (DPI)
