WPA disappointed cash grant not given to household

Oct 22, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

Since President Ali’s announcement of his government’s intention to give a one-off cash transfer to Guyanese, there has been a flurry of discussion in the public media and within the wider society. WPA is not surprised at this development.

We recall a similar mass interest when Professor Clive Thomas first put the idea on the agenda at the annual Eusi Kwayana Emancipation Symposium held in Buxton in August 2018. We recall that many of the major political players were either lukewarm or dismissive of the proposal. But it was clear that it had captured the imagination of the masses, especially the working people and the poor.

Despite the skepticism from the political elites, the WPA has kept the idea in the public arena. We remain convinced that a Universal Basic Income in the form of Cash Transfers is one of the most effective means of reducing poverty in Guyana. Our Oil and Gas windfall affords us a golden opportunity to implement this idea, which has been successfully adopted in many countries across the world. Indeed, the United Nations has adopted it as part of its Sustainable Development goals.

For the WPA, this matter of the Cash Transfer is rooted in our commitment to alleviate poverty as a developmental goal-it goes beyond politicking. WPA is, therefore, heartened that some of the initial skeptics have warmed to the idea as a serious policy initiative. In this regard, the PPP’s attempt to utilize it as a political gimmick should not diminish its seriousness.

While WPA does not claim ownership of the idea, we are proud to have been the first Guyanese political party to place it on the national developmental agenda. What is now patently clear is that it is the only area of the Oil and Gas discourse that the broad masses of Guyanese feel connected to. Attempts by Vice-President Jagdeo to claim ownership of the idea should be treated as a form of desperation by a government which has failed to generate any serious polices since taking office in 2020. Further, the president’s swift reversal of the initial announcement points to a lack of thought and foresight on the government’s part. Had the government heeded the WPA’s call for a feasibility study before implementation, it would not have found itself in such an embarrassing situation.

WPA is disappointed at the government’s retreat from using the household as the unit to distribute the proposed cash transfer. It betrays a lack of seriousness and a callous disregard for basic economic praxis. We feel that giving it to each individual is in effect giving it to voters rather than families. While we understand the practical challenges of using the household as the unit of distribution, it must be pointed out that the use of the individual exudes many families. WPA notes, for example, that there are many single-parent households, including those headed by parents below the age of eighteen, who will either be short-changed or excluded from the government’s plan.

Since its initial roll-out in 2018, WPA has been updating what we call the Buxton Proposal. We are thankful to Professor Thomas and the WPA’s Policy Committee for the work in this regard. Given the renewed interest, we feel the time has come to again engage the public on the matter.

Finally, WPA feels that its initial estimation of an annual transfer of approximately $1 million annually is still valid. In fact, given our estimation that Guyana’s oil reserves are closer to 30 billion barrels, it is our view that Guyanese households should be afforded more than that initial estimate.

Sincerely,

Working People’s Alliance

cash grant, Letters, Professor Clive Thomas, Working Peoples’ Alliance

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WPA disappointed cash grant not given to household

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