By Hon. MP Christopher Jones
Citizens of Guyana, I want you to pay close attention to my message to you today. The government’s so-called “cash grant” – meant to provide relief – has instead turned into something far more sinister. The announced delay is a calculated move to capture your personal information, exploit your needs, and ensure that come election time, the ruling party has every tool it needs to sway your vote. This is not public service; this is manipulation wrapped in a thinly veiled disguise.
Let’s be real about what’s happening here. The government has cooked up an app where every single person accepting this grant will have to sign up, giving their name, ID, address, email, phone number – every bit of personal data, that should remain private. For what purpose? They’ll tell you it’s “efficient.” I’ll tell you it’s exploitation. This is not relief; it’s the creation of a massive communication resource which will become a campaign tool. They don’t want to help you – they want to track you, pass on your email and phone numbers to their campaign media team, communicate with you directly, and remind you, as election day creeps closer, of who’s “helping” you. This is a gross abuse of privacy, plain and simple.
If this government truly wanted to help the people, there is a simpler, safer way to get the funds where they need to go: through the banks, post offices, MMG, Health centers and schools if necessary. These institutions are in every community and agents can verify identities with a single ID or passport – no need for your email, phone number, and address to be gathered and filed away. But no, that wouldn’t serve the administration’s purpose. They don’t want you to just get the money; they want you tied to them, dependent on them, so they can turn around and say, “Remember who helped you.”
Look around, my fellow Guyanese. How often has this government promised you support, only to drag it out, delay it, and leave you wondering if they ever meant to deliver it at all? Why? Because this grant is not about cost-of-living relief; it’s about election control. By drawing this process out, they ensure that the handouts come just as they need your support. They’re banking on your loyalty because they gave you “help” at a crucial moment. It’s no mystery – it’s a tactic we’ve seen time and again.
Part 2 will follow next week
