Govt. cracks down on abuse of public assistance

Apr 17, 2026 News

…moves to tighten disability claims

(Kaieteur News) – The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security says it is taking “decisive action” to address irregularities in the public assistance programme, including ineligible beneficiaries and weak oversight in the approval process. In a major step to strengthen accountability, the ministry announced that medical doctors will now be present at all Local Board of Guardians (LBG) meetings to ensure more accurate assessments of disability claims.

“This will support accurate evaluation of permanent disability cases, in keeping with the list of recognised conditions established by the National Commission on Disability,” the ministry shared.

Guyanese residents, aged 18-64, can seek public assistance for themselves or a child due to financial hardship or a medical condition providing they have a medical report. The LBG and Regional Health Officers play a critical role in assessing eligibility for public assistance, particularly in cases involving medical conditions and financial hardship, the ministry explained.

Subject minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud recently convened a meeting with the two bodies seeking to address several gaps within the system. “Among the concerns raised were instances of medical certificates being issued to individuals who are not genuinely ill, enabling access to permanent disability benefits, as well as inadequate scrutiny of these medical reports by LBG members responsible for reviewing and determining applications,” the ministry shared.

It said Persaud firmly charged LBG members to carry out their duties with integrity, ensuring that all needs assessments are conducted thoroughly, fairly, and without bias. “Minister Persaud made it clear that the ministry is taking decisive action to address irregularities within the system. Efforts are being intensified to ensure that public assistance reaches those who genuinely need it, while preventing misuse by ineligible recipients,” the ministry said.

Last October, the government announced that it was moving to reform the LBG to make public assistance more accessible and equitable. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had said that the reform was intended to address long-standing complaints of exclusion and bias within the current system.

Jagdeo had explained that the government’s goal was to establish a more objective and transparent system for determining eligibility, ensuring that all qualified individuals, such as low-income families, single parents, and persons with disabilities, can access the financial help they need without unnecessary hurdles. “The complaint has been that many people can’t get onto the database because they’re excluded by the Board of Guardians for reasons that are not objective,” Jagdeo stated.

To address these issues, Jagdeo said the government was developing a comprehensive, criteria-based system that will clearly outline the requirements for receiving public assistance. This new system will prevent arbitrary decision-making and ensure that those who meet the established criteria are swiftly added to the assistance database.

APNU Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul had called for a forensic audit of the public assistance programme during his presentation during the national budget debate earlier this year, arguing that the $25,000 amount allocated for public assistance is insufficient for those who depend on it. Further, he called for a forensic audit to be done to “weed out the friends, families and favourites who are barefacedly receiving it without satisfying the criteria and are in the financial position to provide for themselves.” Additionally, Mahipaul called for the expansion of public assistance benefits, urging the government to provide water and electricity subsidies to those who legitimately qualify.

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abuse, fraud, Local Board of Guardians, medical doctors, public assistance

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