President Ali announces “one-off” $25,000 grants to old age pensioners, disabled, public assistance recipients; one month free electricity

Last Updated on Monday, 16 August 2021, 21:21 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali

President Irfaan Ali on Monday night announced that Guyana’s almost 65,000 old age pensioners would get a one-off extra month pension as a “grant” and that government would pay the electricity bill for households consuming not more than 75 kilowatt hours per month.

The one-off grant, he said, would put more than $1.6 billion in the hands of pensioners.

He said the  money would be paid directly to Guyana Power and Light and would be “equivalent to one month of their electricity bill” for more than 40,000 households. Through this means, he said more than GYD$200 million would available to Guyanese to spend.

Dr. Ali also announced that the Guyana government would provide a one-off grant of $25,000 to all public assistance recipients and persons living with disabilities. This grant will benefit about 25,000 persons, and place more than $600 million of additional disposable income in their hands, he said.

The President said the three measures announced Monday night would help to increase the spending power of a large segment of the Guyanese population. “Together, these three new measures will provide additional income support of $2.6 billion to our most vulnerable households,” he said.