1,750 vouchers distributed to COVID-19-hit families

Jul 05, 2020 News

– 5,101 hampers to be sent to hinterland

The National COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat Operations Director, Mark Archer, during a virtual press conference yesterday pointed out that “on Friday, June 26th, 1,750 Pandemic Assistance vouchers were delivered by the Ministry of Social Protection to post offices in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.”
He added that vouchers for Regions 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 were delivered to the Guyana Post Office Corporation head office for distribution on Monday, June 29.
This would have come after more than two months of halting the Civil Defence Commission’s (CDC) hamper distribution after complaints rose that the assistance was not being done in an even-handed way.
The idea, according to the Task Force, was to facilitate a long-term strategic approach to relief efforts.
It was explained that this distribution forms part of the long-term relief efforts decided upon by government.
According to Archer, it was decided that persons living along the coast will receive vouchers to visit selected supermarkets while those in hinterland communities will benefit from hamper distributions.
The vouchers range from $2,000 to $32,000 worth of necessities.
Meanwhile, the CDC is working with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs to transport 5,101 hampers to hinterland households.
Responding to the media, Archer yesterday pointed out that the hampers are being funded through CDC’s budget, while the verification aspect of the project is funded by Central Government through the Ministry of Finance.
The programme targets single-parent households, households in which one or more persons suffered a loss of income due to COVID-19 and households that are managed by elderly persons or persons living with disabilities all across the nation.
The beneficiaries were required to apply online or by calling the Ministry of Social Protection to register for the Public Assistance Programme.
Following a verification exercise by the Ministry of Communities, during Phase One of the programme, approximately 1,700 persons were deemed eligible to receive the vouchers on the coastland.
Eligible hinterland residents will receive packaged hampers, which cater to their Indigenous diets.
Over 12,000 applications are currently being processed electronically, it has been disclosed.
Archer noted that the second phase of this project is expected to be announced soon.
The application form can be downloaded from the Ministry of Social Protection’s website at https://mosp.gov.gy/ or https://government.gy/eform/241.

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