$35,000 one-off cash grant for all persons with disabilities – Pres Ali

…will amount to $875M investment for 26,000 persons registered

As the Government works to improve its data managing capabilities, Head of State President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that a $35,000 one-off cash grant for all persons with disabilities.
The Head of State made this announcement on Tuesday during a Christmas social for children living with disabilities where he highlighted that over 20,000 persons living with disabilities have been registered since his administration took office in 2020.
“We started off in 2020 by not having a complete register of persons living with disability and we wanted that register so that we could structure our support in a more meaningful way and we have been able not only to have almost 6,000 children on that register, but on a national register of persons living with different forms of disability, we have close to 26,000 persons on that register, covering every single region of the country.”
Moreover, as part of efforts to reaffirm the Government’s commitment towards investing in persons living with disabilities. President Alir revealed that the Government will be distributing some $875 million. These funds he noted will ensure that each registered person living with a disability will receive an additional $35,000 in financing from the Government.
“I’m very pleased tonight to tell you today that, to continue the investment and to support your lives, and with the register we have now, that we’re going to release this month, a further $875 million, approximately $875 million directly to each of the persons on the register, each of the almost 26,000 persons on the register.”
The Head of State Added. “What that means is that outside of the $100,000 grant each person on the register that is close to 26,000 persons will get a grant of $35,000 additionally from the state.”
Additionally, the head of state revealed several other initiatives that will be deployed by the Government which will significantly improve the lives of persons living with disabilities.
“But within that Guyana Digital School, there will be a platform to address special needs so that parents can register their children at home, and they will have a platform through which special needs education will be addressed… We made a commitment that in every region, we will at least put one bus, to support persons living with a disability. We have seven of those buses already purchased in a different region.”
“I want to also say that there is another initiative that we are launching. We are right now building the first innovative farm that will be operated fully by persons living with disability here in Guyana and Climate Smart Agriculture is also a big part of what we’ll be doing. And that farm will be incorporated into our supermarkets so that there will be a special section selling produce that will come from that farm because you will be buying with a social conscience.”
Also present at the Christmas social was Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud who highlighted that through the Ministry’s Learning Lab, over 400 persons Living with disabilities were trained in various areas such as social media marketing and garment construction among others.
“In fact, this year, we trained over 400 persons living with disabilities in regions, including the Hinterland regions and I was really, really filled with joy to see the quality of work that they produced when they did the garment construction training. Also, it doesn’t stop there. The Government of Guyana, to his excellency, the President started a revolving fund for people who live with disabilities. So, if they wanted to open their business after training with us, getting business literacy training, they can access funding.”
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Society for the Blind Ganesh Singh, who lauded the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration for their commitment towards inventing in persons living with disabilities. He noted that these investments have significantly improved the lives of persons living with disabilities in the country.
“Prior to the 2020 elections, we sent a disability manifesto to all political parties and the PPP Government. Well, at that time it was the PPP party that incorporated that into their manifesto. We met with His Excellency and all the Ministers on assuming office and they reaffirmed a commitment to persons with disabilities. We asked for more special education in schools, we got them”.
“There are more opportunities for persons with disabilities to go to tertiary institutions through GOAL (Guyana Online Academy of Learning) or the University of Guyana (UG), even at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). It’s much, much easier with virtual learning…People with disabilities can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.”