More than 716,000 Guyanese are expected to benefit from the government’s next $100,000 cash grant initiative, which will roll out after the passage of Budget 2026, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips told the Parliamentary Committee of Supply.
Phillips made the disclosure while considering estimates for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Management, where lawmakers approved $73.6 billion to support disaster response and broader social support measures.
Asked when the disbursements would begin, the Prime Minister said the process would start once the National Assembly clears Budget 2026. He explained that following approval, the Ministry of Finance will begin the administrative preparations needed to release the funds and will later announce the timeline publicly.
“Our President, His Excellency, has already communicated to the Guyanese people that this money will be paid after the budget 2026 is passed,” Phillips told the committee, while assuring that the government is aiming to make payments as soon as possible thereafter.
On the issue of registration, Phillips indicated that many beneficiaries will not be required to sign up again. He noted that the previous distribution exercise created a database of more than 600,000 registered persons, which will now be reviewed and updated.
He said an additional registration drive is expected to capture those not previously listed, estimated at about 14,000 people, along with resolving any outstanding questions regarding eligibility.
Phillips added that the Ministry of Finance will issue more guidance on updated registration requirements and distribution methods in the coming period.
In the same set of approvals, $120 million was also cleared for unplanned disaster response and relief, including initiatives such as reroofing 200 homes in Jamaica and supplying potable water and storage tanks to communities impacted by drought.
The disaster-response allocation falls under a wider $111.3 billion approved for the Office of the Prime Minister, which includes funding for energy, government information and communication services, and telecommunications and innovation.
