Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Erica Forte, on Tuesday reassured that pensioners are still set to receive their $20,000 transportation grant that was appropriated in the 2026 Budget, noting that it is currently awaiting approval in order to move ahead with distribution.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, had announced that the grant would be available in May. However, several senior citizens have since reported that the funds were not yet available.
Efforts to contact Dr Persaud for an explanation proved futile.
However, Dr Forte confirmed that the distribution of the grant had not yet commenced, but reassured that it is imminent.
“It will definitely be distributed, specifically on which date I can’t say. I’m awaiting directive. But there is no need to worry, it will definitely be distributed,” she noted.
“It is on the docket… The distribution has not commenced yet but May isn’t finished yet. We already have preparations in place for it. We are just awaiting approval to go ahead.”
It was during the 2026 Budget presentation that Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh announced that the government will be introducing an annual one-off Transportation Support Grant of $20,000 for each Old Age Pensioner in Guyana, in addition to their monthly pension of $46,000.
Back in February, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud during a live social media broadcast had announced that the grant was expected to be available from May.
The distribution of the grant is expected to take the same mode via which the pensioners already receive their pensions. Dr Forte explained that those pensioners receiving their monthly payments electronically via their bank accounts or via the MMG wallet will also receive their transportation grant via these methods.
Meanwhile, pensioners receiving payments via their pension books may be expected to use one of the two additional pages reserved in their books for such purposes.
