Finance Minister – “Never been a better time to be a young person in Guyana”

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh who joined other officials in kickstarting the government’s ‘Because We Care’ cash grant distribution exercise countrywide said, “Now is the time to be a young person in Guyana.”

As such, the distribution exercise will last during the course of the week and will see a total of $6 in disposable income being distributed.

Dr. Singh disclosed that the government’s investment in the nation’s children is intended to provide access to quality education at every level.

Further, the Minister Singh explained that the investments being made will afford students the chance to take advantage of major job opportunities emerging in Guyana.

“There has never been a better time to be a young person in Guyana than this time. Not my generations, not my parents’ generation, not my grand-parents’ generation……Guyana is undergoing a remarkable transformation, our economy is changing rapidly. New sectors are emerging, new companies are establishing operations, new opportunities are being created. New job types are being made available, new skills are being demanded like never before,” Dr. Singh said.

The finance minister was at the time addressing parents at the distribution exercise on Tuesday, at Queens College, Georgetown.

Dr. Singh said as a direct result of these emerging jobs Guyanese youths are being sought after. To this end, he encouraged parents and guardians to play their part in supporting their children.

“This means there is a greater incentive for you the parents to invest now and I don’t mean money but there are many other inputs that need to be invested. In securing a good educational outcome for your children,” he said.

Meanwhile, it was noted that the government deliberately structured its “Because We Care” cash grant recognising the importance of providing support to parents. This is done to reduce the cost associated with obtaining a good education.

As such, Dr. Singh said the structure does not dictate a parent to only buy uniform and stationaries for their child. However, allowing a parent or guardian the decision to prioritise the needs of the child.

Additionally, parents were encouraged to utilise the monies wisely; “We hope that they will spend on their children for the purposes of supporting their education.”

Minister Singh added that the government is committed to further increasing the grant to $50,000 by the end of 2025.