Opposition leader electoral pledge to peg cash grant to school attendance

Last Updated on Friday, 14 February 2025, 22:37 by Writer

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton on Friday said that if the coalition under his leadership wins the 2025 general and regional elections, the new administration would ensure that cash transfers f0r school-age students is linked to their attendance.

“We believe that children must get cash transfer but we don’t believe the cash transfer must just be done willy-nilly. We would like to see it linked to things like a child’s attendance at school. What sense would it make if the purpose of a cash transfer is to help our children and then we have no mechanism to ensure those children are in school,” he told his weekly news conference.

But Mr Norton ruled out determining whether Guyanese should receive cash grants based on their earnings, and instead the only criterion would be for recipients to be 18 years and older. He said the monies would be paid by cheques and that the system would be transparent and based on an accurate database instead of the “padded and flawed” voters list that is generated by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Stressing that “we want them (children) in school”, the Opposition Leader said he was not merely concerned about winning votes when asked whether he was worried that tying the cash transfer to school students’ attendance could cause his People’s National Congress Reform-led coalition to lose support at the upcoming polls. Mr Norton said he was also concerned about putting in place a system that would improve the quality of students’ lives rather than misuse of the monies by parents. “When we do cash transfer to children and family, you don’t want to do it for people to do their nails and their hair. You want the children to benefit directly and whatever it takes to ensure that that cash transfer goes to ensure our children do well, we will do it.

This life is not only about election and winning. That’s important but it is also about improving the quality of life of the people and one of the best things we can do for our children is to create the conditions for them to go to school and take education so that they can improve their lives and whatever it takes for us to help our children to get an education and come out of poverty, we will do it,” he said.

The PNCR Leader said a coalition administration would also establish a national school transportation network. The David Granger-led administration had introduced a school transportation system of buses, bicycles and boats.

Mr Norton said a new administration would conduct a survey to determine as part of a plan to ensure all Guyanese get a “livable income” with special provisions for pensioners. “We believe the resources exist in the society. What is lacking is the political will by the PPP, their incompetence and the fact that they, themselves, do not believe in transferring resources to the people,” he said.

He noted that the vast majority of Guyanese were yet to receive the GY$100,000 per person cash grant. The Finance Ministry on Thursday released schedules for cash grant distribution in Regions 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 5 (Mahaicony-West Berbice) ,6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

The PNCR Leader restated that the proposed rent-to-own housing programme would target Guyanese who are ineligible for mortgages because of their low incomes. Efforts would also be made, he said, to clear the house lot decades’ long waiting list as well as assist house lot owners to construct their houses.