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The people of Guyana are not subjects to be patronised
Dear Editor,
I write to object to the propaganda that is presently in circulation led by the Minister of Education, Ms. Sonia Parag that the “Because We Care” cash grant for schoolchildren is a gift from the PPP government.
For the record and from my pen to Ms. Parag’s ears, this education grant is not a gift from the PPP, since the PPP never paid one dollar of tax in its entire life; it is not a gift from President Irfan Ali, because he and all presidents of Guyana including Mr. Bharat Jagdeo do not pay taxes as prescribed by the law. This money is coming from the taxes paid by the teachers, nurses, soldiers and policemen among others. Because the taxpayers generated this fund, it is a process of giving back to the people some of their taxes.
Therefore, it is an entitlement to the children of Guyana funded by the taxpayers of this country.
Minister Joseph Hamilton put it plainly in 2021 when he told parents: “We don’t think we are doing you some special favour. The money that will be distributed to you today, it is your money…” The money belongs to the people. This is public money, not the president’s personal wealth or the government’s benevolence.
Yet government ministers and officials routinely attribute the grant to the president and his administration, creating the impression that it is a personal favour from the leader rather than a policy funded by the people.
This narrative serves to cultivate political loyalty rather than acknowledge the rights of citizens.
There is a term for this: it is called patrimonial politics—the use of state resources to create a relationship of dependency and obligation. When politicians distribute taxpayers’ money and expect gratitude in return, they treat citizens not as rights-holders but as supplicants.
Let us be clear. The money for the “Because We Care” grant comes from the consolidated fund. The consolidated fund is filled by taxpayers. The government is simply the administrator of these funds, not their owner. When a child receives the grant, they are receiving their entitlement as a citizen of Guyana—not a favour from any politician.
I call on the government and its ministers to cease this political propaganda. Stop presenting the people’s money as a gift. Stop using our children’s education as a tool for political branding. The people of Guyana are not subjects to be patronised. We are citizens with rights, and our taxes fund the services we receive.
Regards,
Vishnu Prashad
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How else can the PPP secure votes in an election by telling lies, the
PPP’s cash grant is from the PPP? Or the President, or Jagdeo ?
Whilst sensible citizens know the truth- about the cash given away (grant)
is not repayable, and it’s from taxes collected.