As the debate continues over the ‘cash grant’ proposal, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo says that Government is creating such a turmoil over something that will be a non-issue until the next decade.
“There is a WPA (Working People’s Alliance) proposal on the table which has been found to be technically unsound because even Clive Thomas himself said that to make [the cash grants] successful, you have to get up to 1.5 million barrels per day. That’s not gonna happen until after 2030, if ever,” Jagdeo pointed out at his weekly press conference on Thursday.
His comments come after President David Granger said on Wednesday that the WPA – one of the five parties that make up the APNU component of the coalition – proposed cash grants from the oil revenues but the Head of State noted that no details had been worked out.
But according to the Opposition Leader, some WPA members want people to embrace this proposal without studying it and its implications.
The Opposition Leader went on to explain that come next year, United States oil giant, ExxonMobil, will start production with 120,000 barrels per day and in order to achieve what the WPA is proposing, 1.5 million barrels per day would be required.
“[So] why make it such a big hot issue at this time when we’re not gonna be able to do this in another decade from now. So this is what they want to do, mislead people once again,” he asserted.
Nevertheless, Jagdeo further pointed out that cash grants are something the PPP is open to in the future.
“We should keep an open mind to the concept because it’s a global concept and I think the intention is a good one to ensure everybody has at least basic income,” the Opposition Leader contended.
In fact, he noted that the previous People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration had distributed cash grants, such as the $10,000 ‘Because We Care’ initiative, to school children and that was done without oil resources.
Going forward, Jagdeo said if the party returns to office, it will not only be reinstating that programme but intends to increase the amount to as much as $50,000 per child per year. This, he noted, was the party’s plan had it remained in office at a time when oil revenues were not in the picture as yet.
Additionally, the Opposition Leader noted that cash grants will also be set aside for pensioners and other vulnerable groups.
