All fisherfolk to get one-off $150,000 cash grant

As part of further efforts to cushion substantial price hikes, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced that fisherfolk across the country will receive a one-off $150,000 cash grant.

The President made this announcement on Tuesday afternoon during a visit to Windsor Forest on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD).

He explained that the government had completed an assessment of the fishing industry just hours before and found that it could provide that sum to the more than 5,000 fisherfolk across the country.

“Notwithstanding the fact that a number of our fisherfolk have said that the catches are improving, we still know that there (are) difficulties and what I want to say today is that in responding to those difficulties,” President Ali highlighted.

He later added, “This is an immediate step to make a direct transfer to the people, to assist, in addition to all that we are doing to expand the industry.”

This one-off cash grant comes just weeks after the President announced that 1 billion was set aside by the government for the purchase of fertiliser for free distribution among farmers across the country.

Before then, other interventions in the agricultural sector were announced, including the removal of several taxes and support for the sugar industry.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha on Tuesday said that the government has been seeking ways to cushion the impact of the rising cost of living. This new initiative, he said, is expected to bring much more relief.