President Irfaan Ali yesterday afternoon announced a one-off cash grant of $25,000 to workers in the entire Public Sector, including those who are currently employed at GuySuCo and the Finance Ministry has begun processing the payment..
In a video address, Ali said that that over 60,000 workers and their families will benefit from the venture which will cost the Government over $2B.
“I am pleased to announce a one-off grant of $25,000 to workers of the entire Public Sector which includes central government, statutory bodies, subvention agencies, public corporations, government pensioners and staff of the University of Guyana”, Ali said.
Teachers, medical professionals and members of the joint services will also benefit from the grant.
The President added that the funds are being distributed to aid “these workers to cope with the challenges associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
The President noted that the initiative will also extend to current workers of GuySuCo.
He said that sugarcane workers in particular suffered under the previous administration.
“Those sugar workers who were unconscionably deprived of their livelihood by the APNU+AFC Government will in the New Year be provided with transitional support as we continue to restructure the industry, in keeping with the PPP/C’s promise.”
Earlier this month, Ali announced a two-week tax-free bonus for members of the Guyana Police Force and members of the Guyana Defence Force.
Meanwhile, following the President’s announcement, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh stated that he has already instructed his Ministry to begin processing of the grant immediately.
“Following His Excellency’s announcement this afternoon, I have already issued instructions within the Ministry of Finance for steps to be taken immediately to process this grant and my staff within the Ministry have already started that work. Our intention is to ensure that public sector employees receive this grant immediately, so work is ongoing as we speak to ensure that processing is done as swiftly as possible,” the Senior Finance Minister said.
“This one-off grant will see in excess of $2B being paid to more than 60,000 public sector employees. This grant is being paid by Government in recognition of the hardships that have been faced and the very challenging circumstances that have faced the employees of the public sector and their families,” Singh stated, according to release from his ministry.
The Senior Finance Minister noted that the one-off grant is also a mechanism to stimulate economic activity in the country as it will allow for $2B to be placed in the hands of employees in the public sector, who will in turn consume or spend the income in markets, shops, or other businesses within the country.
Singh said that the one-off grant is to be viewed alongside and in addition to other recent initiatives such as the 2-weeks tax free bonus announced earlier this month for members of the Disciplined Services as well as essential health care workers and the Covid-19 emergency $25,000 payment currently being made to Heads of households countrywide.
“Put together, the Covid Relief Programme…. the bonus paid to the Disciplined Services and frontline health sector workers and the one-off grant announced today….the sum total of those is more than $10 Billion dollars put in the hands of the people of Guyana,” the Minister noted.
