Jagdeo assures no one will be denied cash grants for not having a bank account

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has assured that no Guyanese will be excluded from receiving cash grants due to not having a bank account, even as the government encourages citizens to open accounts for more convenient access to funds.

Jagdeo made the comments while explaining ongoing efforts to expand financial inclusion, particularly in remote and underserved areas. “Nobody will be denied their cash grant because they don’t have a bank account. But it’s good to do that,” he said.

The Vice President emphasised that the government is focused on connecting all Guyanese to the financial system. “When you talk about obsession, it’s not with money… it’s how do we get all of our people connected to the financial system, even people who live in the most remote parts of our country,” he said, citing examples such as the hinterland regions.

Jagdeo highlighted the role of FinTech, mobile banking, and internet banking in enabling wider access. “You could be in a remote area, and because there is now internet connection, you can check your account, have an account, have your money paid into it, and track it,” he said. The government is exploring the establishment of central terminals in sub-districts where residents can conduct banking transactions without full-scale bank branches.

He also referenced past challenges with physical disbursements. “When we gave checks in Region One, a lot of people couldn’t even cash their checks. People became a little dissatisfied because we gave the checks but they couldn’t get their money. We then had to work out all sorts of arrangements to make that happen.”

The assurance comes amid announcements by President Dr. Irfaan Ali that cash grants for individuals and vulnerable groups—including the elderly, persons with disabilities, children, women, small businesses, farmers, and more—will be announced before the end of the year. These grants, the President said, are part of broader measures to empower every Guyanese throughout the government’s five-year term and will be disbursed in a more organised manner.

Jagdeo encouraged citizens to take advantage of easier online account openings at local banks. “So let us use this period to put the mechanism in place and finalise the system of delivery,” he said, stressing that while bank accounts facilitate smoother payments, no one will be left out of the programme.