Cash handouts Part 1

Oct 03, 2025 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

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(Kaieteur News) – Money in the pocket makes a man feel in charge of his destiny.  I think so.  Money in hand gives a woman confidence that she can feed her family.  It is not disputed any longer that numerous Guyanese cannot afford to buy food, take care of their regular bills.  In an oil rich country, that is more than a deficit, or a contradiction.  It’s a shame that should not be, especially in a country producing 650,000 barrels of oil daily, and on the threshold of pumping a million barrels a day in the near future.

The PPPC Government had objections to cost-of-living realities, comforted itself with inflation numbers that persuaded no one.  Then there was a cash grant, with promises for more to come.  Now, Minister Vickram Bharat, a veteran of the same PPPC Government was prompted to drill a hole in cash grants.  It is a failed model, one that does not work, he said.  This is what I say.

If it is such an unworkable model, then what kind of setting up of citizens was the PPPC engaging in on the campaign trail?  Starting on the first day of this year, President Ali in his New Year’s address to the nation spoke excitedly and unambiguously about cash grants.

While referring to the $100,000 cash grant then underway, the president also gave another shot in the arm to hopeful Guyanese.  “And let me signal that this cash grant is not intended to be a one-time payment. We are committed to ensuring that our people benefit from the proceeds derived from the exploitation of their natural resource wealth, and as such, we are committed to making future direct cash transfers to our citizens.”  Hear, hear!  It was none other than President Ali who had articulated in an earlier exchange that cash grants are not a sustainable model.

On New Year’s Day 2025, however, he was full of energy inspiring Guyana that “this cash grant is not intended to be a one-time payment” and we are committed to making future cash transfers to our citizens.”  Did someone in the government settle for Minister Bharrat to be the fall guy with cash grants being a failed model?  Moreover, senior members of the government were having a great time selling cash grants to Guyanese just recently, with not a whisper about it being a failed model.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips was all energy during the PPPC campaign launch to a large gathering of supporters in Kitty.  “Last year, we paid $100,000 cash grant for every Guyanese 18 years and above. And it didn’t done deh, because once we start something, we got to continue it, and if we pay $100,000, next time we ain’t gon pay you less than 100,000 so you figure it out for yourself, more cash grant coming, and it will not be less than $100,000.”  Note the prime minister’s own words, and how they diminish those of Minister Bharat, viz-a-viz, “it didn’t done deh” and “once we start something, we got to continue it” and “more cash grant coming…”

Then, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo also sounded a note that went several steps beyond Prime Minister Phillips’s cash grant promises.  At the PPP’s sacred shrine in Babu Jaan, he said “You will get your cash grants in the future too…Just imagine the next term in office how glorious that will be.”  Not satisfied with that, Jagdeo then proceeded to give what was tantamount to an unbreakable vice-presidential guarantee, “When we make these promises that President Ali spoke about in the next term, you best believe that they will be delivered.”  Love it!

From cash in envelopes (COVID-19 relief) to checks that remind 629,000 plus Guyanese, how much the PPP Government thinks of them and care about them, it has been a trickle of the oil money directed at the people.  I wish there was more of those.  Now what I sense is that there is some rethinking at the leadership level about delivering what was promised.  Minister Bharrat drew the assignment to test the waters, see what bubbles to the surface.  Not a good start, I say; not with how 2025 commenced.

President Ali gave assurances of cash grants from New Year’s Day onwards.  Prime Minister Philipps glowed brightly with his own assurances on cash grants in Kitty in July.  Last. Vice President Jagdeo outdid both of them.  “You best believe that they will be delivered.”  These three most senior PPPC Government luminaries were all speaking on top of their voices about cash grants, and how they will be coming to Guyanese, and not just once.  Where does this leave Minister Bharrat and his “failed model?”  Is the PPPC Government having second thoughts about cash grants, and so dumped that dirty job on Bharrat’s head?

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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• cash grants, cash handouts, handouts, money, oil money

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