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House approves $30.5 B for cash grant distribution
Kaieteur News- The National Assembly has approved $30.5 billion to cater for the distribution of the one-off $100,000 cash grant to citizens 18 years and above.
The sum which formed part of the supplementary funding was approved by Committee of Supply on Wednesday.
Prime Minister (PM) Retired Brigadier, Mark Phillips faced questions particularly as to whether the $30.5 Billion is sufficient to cover all eligible persons 18 years and older.
Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Shurwayne Holder posed the question about sufficiency of funds.
Prime Minister (PM) Retired Brigadier, Mark Phillips (House approves $30.5 B for cash grant distribution)
“Mr. Speaker, in the initial announcement, we heard that it was a total of $60B to be disbursed. We have since seen some changes, and now, we see the amount coming to the Parliament as $30.5B, which works out to about $305,000 persons 18-years and above,” MP Holder pointed out.
In response, the Prime Minister said that the entire eligible population will eventually receive the one-off cash grant by early next year. He explained that the overall estimated cost of the intervention is $60 billion and that the $30.5 billion approved by the National Assembly will provide for the initial distribution phase, and the remaining funds will be sought before the end of the year.
“Today is the 27th November, the Financial Year finishes on the 31st of December, so, it is just about a month. We are asking for that money, and we are going to pay out that money as fast as possible. Come January 1st, we go into another budget cycle and the remainder money that is needed will be apportioned and allocated from that budget cycle, that is the easy answer,” Phillips explained.
Fellow Opposition MP, Sherod Duncan enquired when the grant will be available for distribution. “I recall that the President stood and told this honourable House that the cash grant will be available instantaneously,” Duncan pointed out.
He said the Prime Minister and the Government needs to be much clearer on its plans since citizens are asking questions.
Other MPs on the Opposition side of the House expressed their disapproval with the Prime Minister’s statements on the distribution of the cash grant.
They sought clarity on the reason for the requirement for public servants to register and have their photos taken, arguing that their identification details are already documented in payroll records.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh explained that it is necessary to minimise duplication. He said it is important to ensure that the process is conducted smoothly and every person eligible to receive the $100,000 one-off cash grant must be registered.
Dr. Singh explained that while registration is ongoing at the various public sector agencies, persons in various communities are also being registered.
“In addition to processing public servants’ payment simply by virtue of the fact that they are in public employment, we are also registering in the communities, and the people who work in offices also live in these communities,” the minister said.
He further emphasised, “This is a very simple, basic registration process.”
Dr. Singh outlined the efficient four-step process that governs this initiative. The first step is the registration exercises. Each community will have a registration schedule, essentially a list of dates, times and locations that will serve as hubs for registration.
(House approves $30.5 B for cash grant distribution)
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