Old age pensioners, persons accessing public assistance to be included in digital registry

…as Govt aims for 2025 digitised system launched

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry will be implementing a digitised records system, dubbed the Beneficiary Registry and Document Management System (BRDMS), to keep track of all old age pensioners and persons accessing public assistance.
During a recent training session, Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, reflected on the current development of this system, which is expected to be launched later this year.
“This journey started 10 months ago, with the intention of improving services to the people of Guyana, with the understanding that technology and digital tools, are part of everyday life. This is a significant thing and should not be looked at lightly,” Dr Persaud also said.
“What it is doing is integrating the services of our Ministry. Ensuring we know who our beneficiaries are, where they are and more importantly, who should be our beneficiaries and how we can get them on board to benefit from the social security nets that we have.”

The Ministry has been carrying out intensive training over the past few weeks with its staff, in order to ensure they are acquainted with the use of the new software. In addition to the Ministry, the BRDMS is being developed with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Synergy International Systems Inc.
IDB Country Representative Lorena Solórzano Salazar spoke of the importance of the initiative, which she noted will allow the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to make progress on improving its service delivery with the development of a digitised system.
“The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, with Minister Persaud’s leadership is promoting a stronger, more efficient and digital empowered social protection system,” Salazar said.
Only recently, it was announced by Dr Cona Husbands, Manager of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit within the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, that there has been a 63 per cent increase in women accessing social assistance support in Guyana.
This milestone came ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA). She attributed the increase to the proactive and well-crafted programmes implemented by the Guyana Government. Dr Husbands made this statement during the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters.
Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Husbands explained that the Ministry had swiftly responded by introducing emergency relief packages, including direct cash transfers and food assistance, to support vulnerable women and children. She emphasised the importance of flexible social protection services that can adapt to evolving needs and ensure continuous support.
Over the past few years, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has steadily increased both pension and public assistance. In 2021, all old-age pensioners were given $25,000 monthly; in 2022 that sum was increased to $28,000 and in 2023 that sum increased to $33,000. It has now been increased to $41,000. Meanwhile, public assistance has been increased to $22,000.