Cash grant distribution now moving to Regions One, Eight and Four – Dr Jagdeo

– as he bashes opposition’s attempts to kerfuffle process

Within the next few weeks, the cash grant distribution process will commence for regions one, eight, and four, placing $100,000 into the pockets of each Guyanese.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo made the disclosure on Thursday during his weekly Freedom House press conference.

“The next region should be Region One, then Region Eight, and then four. We are hoping to get all the checks cut in the next few weeks, and the distribution started…as we register, we will cut checks, we will distribute, and everyone will get it,” he explained.

The general secretary appealed for patience from the public as the government works to ensure that the process is as efficient and precise as possible.

Through this countrywide registration process, the government is generating a national database to facilitate smoother distribution of future cash grants.

“We are hoping that in five months, we will be able to register everyone,” he said.

Already, residents of Region Nine have begun receiving their grants, and registration is ongoing in the other regions.

At a previous press conference, Dr Jagdeo relayed that the initial distribution process is expected to see about 300,000 Guyanese receiving their cash grants before the end of 2024; the remainder of persons should receive theirs in January 2025 and onward.

On the issue of missed registration, Dr Jagdeo has assured that there will be a mechanism put in place for those who were unable to register. This is the same for shut-ins or otherwise unable to visit the registration centers. These persons, the government assures, will not miss out on these resources.

Opposition criticisms

Dr Jagdeo also addressed the criticisms from various opposition figures, who have employed several tactics to confuse the process governing the cash grant registration and distribution. They have posited several arguments, such as that the cash grant is not enough to satiate the public servants, while contrarily and simultaneously arguing that it will cause economic inflation.

“They are trying to identify problems where there are no problems. I have seen APNU saying, ‘End the registration. Use the existing database’. They are the same ones who said ‘we cross-reference now using the voter’s list, but the voter’s list is bad…I suspect that what they want is confusion. They want to identify some corruption in it…they don’t want to go through this important verification process, so then they can claim that the exercise is flawed,” he said.

Dr Jagdeo reminded that the opposition even previously posited that the registration process was a front to gather data for the 2025 elections, an allegation that Dr Jagdeo said was met with ridicule from even their supporters.

“Every week it’s the same thing…pure nonsense,” Dr Jagdeo pointed out.

Dr Jagdeo assured that despite the opposition’s posturing and criticisms, the government will continue the registration process to ensure that every citizen receives these funds.

Once this initiative is completed, $60 billion will be placed in the hands of citizens across the country.