Local News

Guyana Police Urge Calm After Unruly Behaviour During Cash Handouts

02 January 2025
This content originally appeared on St. Lucia Times.
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Guyana police have urged calm and advised citizens to exercise caution after unruly behaviour during distribution of the Government’s one-off $100,000 Cash Grant.

The grant of approximately USD 500 is available to all Guyanese nationals eighteen and over.

“While the collection process is smooth and incident free at most locations, there are a few areas where persons were storming the designated collection places and being aggressive,” a police statement noted.

The statement observed that in Berbice this week, a large crowd broke the gate at the Ministry of Social Protection’s Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam location, where pensioners and persons with disabilities collected their cheques.

It said Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Vindhya Persaud, who was present, explained to persons in the crowd that they were only dealing with pensioners and persons with disabilities.

However, the police stated that people refused to cooperate, pushing towards the door and behaving unruly.

Officers helped to restore order and the authorities stopped the cheque distribution, advising people to return to their homes.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali referred to the incident during his end-of-year news conference, asserting that some individuals were spreading mischief.

He told reporters that someone on social media had urged people to show up in New Amsterdam for their cash grants.

“We have a lot of mischief in the system, and we know who are the mischief-makers. We know who are pushing it and we know what their intentions are,” the Guyana leader said.

Nevertheless, he detailed his administration’s steps to ensure ease of cash grant distribution.

However, Ali acknowledged that people are excited, and rightfully so because they have a government that is investing in and giving back to the people.

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