Dear Editor,

The $100,000 cash grant should put to rest many disputes. This far-from-complete cash grant distribution process highlights some of the stark realities of Guyanese life. There are the contradictions that need not be, the puzzles that should have no place, in the country with the richest people in the world. The cash grant initiative of the PPP Government revealed to everyone where Guyanese are, and how much $100,000 means to them.

No comment is submitted that the cash grant took so long to materialize. Diverting quickly, there is an article titled “Cost of living far outstrips minimum wage” (Demerara Waves, January 08, 2025), which emphasizes the grueling conditions, and the terrible deficits, with which ordinary Guyanese live. It has some relation to this writing, (will be addressed separately). In addition, there will be no finger-pointing at government officials or the distribution process. But I wished that Minister Ashni Singh had told a straight story with the residual first tranche distribution still hanging. Where’s it, sir?

The cash grant and Guyanese reaction to it, what does it say, convey? It is the single question that has near universal reach, furnishes the answers to so many differences. From the first day of the president’s announcement, Guyanese were electrified. From October 10, 2024 to now and beyond a grim and gritty panorama has been painted. Each stroke is of a people driven to ragged desperateness. Each registration centre provided confirmation of the urgency of the circumstances of ordinary Guyanese. And whether NIS collection addresses, or remote areas, or different rural points for that precious check, there was one common condition that just cannot be denied any longer by anybody. Simply: Guyanese are in a bad place, and in a bad way. The crowds proved it. The sick creeping out on shaky knees and unsteady hearts to give themselves a chance for a few scarce dollars in their hands. It must always be held in mind that this country (Guyana) has made numerous global headlines about the incomparable nature of its Gross Domestic Product, its glittering prospects, and the per person richness of its citizens.

The venerable, authoritative World Bank even elevated Guyana into its coveted “high income” bracket; even better as of over a year ago, Guyana ranked 51st out of 193 countries relative to purchasing power. Using the World Bank’s classifications, high income is anything greater than US$14,000 (or approximately GY$2,500,000) per capita. Ordinary Guyanese look upon $200,000 income per month as out of this world and definitely out of their reach. Regarding purchasing power, and Guyana ranking 51st in the world at last check, that means absolutely nothing to a pensioner, a public servant, and a minimum wage worker. What these groups know is that when they visit the shops and the market stalls, they must pick and choose among basic items, turn their faces away from more than a few nonluxury goods, and week after week go home with less in their baskets. Against the inspiring numbers of the World Bank, there are those groups of Guyanese racing out of their homes early, lining up for hours, and often leaving without the $100,000.

The money ($100,000) is a big deal for the tens of thousands, the upwards of hundreds of thousands of Guyanese, who are constantly strapped for cash. Not extra cash, but any cash. To make ends meets. To pay the monthly bills. To save face and face the vendor, the landlord, the telephone or light bill man. Few are the citizens of this the richest republic around that can have the luxury of sitting back and watching on and waiting for later to collect their cash grant. Things are too rough with most of them, and if they have to tough it out through jostling with their fellow citizens that that is just unavoidable, part of the steep price of citizenship in this society.

It should now be obvious from the cash grant distribution pictures that the oil riches of this country have not been extended to most of its ordinary citizens, left them in pitiful straits. To date, the cash grant process has involved the elderly and those engaged in government work. The latter have been largely dealt with away from the public view (banks). By subtraction, it must be mainly the elderly of Guyana that were subject to the assaults and indignities of collecting a few thousand much needed dollars. Many Guyanese are in the worst of financial shapes imaginable. The limited cash grant payout just beamed that all over the world.

Sincerely,

GHK Lall