Govt rolls out $150,000 cash grant for fisherfolks

– 5000 to benefit from initiative

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced the rollout of  one-off cash grants to the tune of $150,000, which will go to registered local fisherfolk, across the country.
The President announced the initiative while visiting fishermen at Windsor Forest on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) on Tuesday. He explained that this measure is intended as direct assistance to the thousands of persons who depend on the fishing industry to sustain them and their families.
“We’re announcing an initiative for every single person I identified just now all across the country, that is we’re going to help you with a one-off grant of $150,000 each. This [is] an immediate step that we are taking to make the indirect transfer to you, to assist you in addition to all that we’re doing to expand the industry.”
“We understand that at your household level you still have immediate needs and you still have some immediate help that you require. I’m talking to fisherfolk all across the country. We’ve assessed those needs because you have a Government that is not afraid of confronting,” Ali said.

According to the President, his Government is not afraid of facing the fishing industry, listening to their concerns. He assured them that in good times or bad, the Government stands ready to listen to them.
The President also reminded that the Government has implemented other measures intended to benefit the wider population – initiatives that also benefited fisherfolk. He reasoned that this special additional measure is in light of the unique challenges being faced by fishermen, including the low catches they continue to experience.
“Notwithstanding all these interventions that we’ve made, we understand that at your household level, you still have immediate needs and you still have some immediate help that you require. I’m talking to fisherfolks all across the country,” President Ali posited.

Meanwhile, the Head of State also noted that specific measures will be announced for persons involved in other economic sectors of the country. According to him, Guyana “will hear other initiatives being announced that will help all the industries in Guyana.”
Earlier this month, President Ali had announced a series of ground-breaking measures, ranging from cash grants to households in the hinterland and riverine communities to the provision of free fertilisers for farmers, which are aimed at improving the lives of citizens.
Among the announcements was the distribution of a one-off $25,000 cash grant to every household in the riverine and hinterland communities of the country. This measure, according to Ali, would result in $800 million being pumped into the economy and would cushion the impacts of the rising cost of living.

“The second measure I wish to look at is fertiliser support to farmers. In order to cushion the impact of the rising cost of fertiliser on farmers and to limit the pass through to food prices, my Government will be purchasing 1 billion dollars’ worth of fertiliser for free distribution to farmers for use in planting and replanting activities,” President Ali had said.
According to the President, this initiative is being done “considering that fertiliser accounts for between 15 to 30 per cent of the total operating cost for farmers. This initiative will significantly reduce input cost, and help ensure scaled-up production and adequate supply of output, which is critical to maintaining price stability.”
The third measure announced by the Government is the setting up of a special unit to help landowners of both private and Government-owned lots to build their houses. President Ali has said the unit would support applicants with the process of applying to banks for financing, and with the initial phase of construction by releasing the necessary resources.
Persons would also have the option of choosing $7 million, $9 million or $12 million house models for the Government to help them build. The other measure would see the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) from additional construction materials until the market stabilises. These include sheetrock and concrete boards.
President Ali had also said at the time that Government would continue consultations, and would, in the future, make more announcements aimed at bringing further relief to the public.