A World Bank and the United Nation Development Programme report has praised the Guyanese government for caring for its citizens during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The report, An Uneven Recovery: The Impact of COVID-19 on Latin America and the Caribbean detailed how households in Guyana have benefitted from government cash transfers more than the vast majority of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The report, which is the results of a regional survey credited Guyana for the level of assistance extended to its citizens, pointing out that close to 80 per cent of Guyanese households have benefitted from either regular or emergency cash transfers during the pandemic.

The report highlighted that only households in Bolivia and El Salvador have benefitted more than households in Guyana. Notably Haiti fell at the bottom of the list with around three per cent of household receiving any benefit.

All public sector employees received a one-off payment of $25,000 in December 2020, totalling $2 billion. The monthly old-age pension was increased from $20,500 to $25,000, amounting to a total annual benefit of $4 billion for the elderly.

The government increased public assistance by 33 per cent, from $9,000 to $12,000, handing over an additional $500 million annually. Since the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government came to power16 months ago, the administration has taken a series of steps to cushion the impact of the pandemic and enhance the lives of its citizens.

The administration recently set aside $400 million for a special 2021 payout to frontline workers in the health sector, who have endured challenging circumstances, providing healthcare at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A COVID-19 cash grant of $25,000 per household was also granted, resulting in the distribution of over $7.5 billion to families across all 10 of the country’s administrative regions.

Frontline workers in the health sector and the Disciplined Services also received year-end bonuses totalling $1 billion in December 2020. In August 2021, the government announced measures to provide a one-off grant of $25,000 to old-age pensioners, public assistance recipients, and persons living with disabilities, benefitting some 90,000 persons to the tune of $2.2 billion.

The government  also purchased $200 million of electricity credits for the most vulnerable households.