As a resident of Region 10 and an activist with the United Workers Party, I feel deeply troubled by the Government’s recent announcement of a one-off $50,000 grant for persons living with disabilities. On the surface it may seem like a kind gesture, but when we look closer, when we listen to the real struggles of real people, it becomes painfully clear that this is far from enough.
Every day, persons living with disabilities in our country wake up and fight battles that many of us cannot see and will never fully understand. They face additional medical expenses, mobility challenges, social barriers, and often limited employment opportunities. Many rely on specialized diets, extra transportation costs, and assistive devices that are expensive to maintain or replace. These are not luxuries, they are necessities for a dignified life.
And all of this is happening at a time when the cost of living continues to rise. Families are stretching every dollar to afford food, medication, transportation, and basic household items. For a disabled person or their caregiver, the burden is even heavier. In today’s Guyana, $50,000 cannot meaningfully support anyone, much less those whose needs are greater than most.
That is why this one-off grant feels less like support and more like a political gesture, a quick announcement meant to create the appearance of care without offering any long-term solutions. What persons living with disabilities truly need is consistent support, accessible health services, pathways to employment, proper infrastructure, education, and policies that are shaped by listening to them, not speaking at them.
We must never forget that behind every policy number is a human being, a child who needs therapy, an adult who struggles to find work, an elderly person who needs mobility support. These are our brothers, sisters, neighbours, and friends. They deserve more than a one-time payment; they deserve a country that sees them, respects them, and builds systems that allow them to live with dignity and independence.
As a nation, we should be lifting up the most vulnerable among us, not offering them temporary relief while the deeper issues remain ignored. Guyana can do better. Guyana must do better.
Sincerely,
Lorenzo Joseph
United Workers Party (UWP) Activist
Region 10
