Guyana Anti Corruption Network

Examination of the $100,000 Cash Grant Programme: Hinterland Banking Barriers and Allegations of Non-Resident Foreign Nationals on the Voters’ Roll

**Date:** 30 March 2026

**Reference No.:** GACN/2026/03/CG

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### Executive Summary

The Government of Guyana’s $100,000 cash grant programme has encountered significant implementation challenges and raised substantive allegations of electoral irregularity. First, the requirement that beneficiaries possess a bank account has created a barrier to access for citizens residing in remote hinterland regions with limited or no banking infrastructure. Second, credible allegations have emerged that non-resident foreign nationals—including Brazilian, Venezuelan, and Cuban nationals—were unlawfully registered on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) voters’ roll in exchange for political support, and that the bank account requirement now serves to exclude these individuals from the cash grant. This brief examines the available evidence and recommends urgent forensic inquiries.

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### 1. Hinterland Banking Infrastructure Deficits

Official guidelines for the $100,000 cash grant stipulate that eligible adults must possess a Guyanese national identification card and a bank account in their name. However, banking infrastructure in Guyana’s hinterland regions is severely limited.

According to a private WhatsApp conversation dated 13–19 March 2026 (participants’ names withheld, transcript on file with GACN), the following deficits were identified:

– **Region 1 (North West District):** One bank serves the entire district.
– **Region 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo):** Two banks serve villages across five sub-districts.
– **Region 8 (Potaro-Siparuni):** No confirmed banking presence for the majority of communities.

One participant in the conversation stated: *”This is the reality of our people. Poverty is real, and systems…”* (message truncated in original).

While Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo indicated in November 2025 that a bank account would not be mandatory for hinterland residents, implementation has been inconsistent. Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh subsequently confirmed that alternative arrangements would be made, stating: *”Nobody will be denied their cash grant on account that they don’t have a bank account.”* However, as of this publication, no detailed mechanism or procedural guidance has been issued for hinterland communities.

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### 2. Allegations of Non-Resident Foreign Nationals on the Voters’ Roll

The same WhatsApp conversation raised allegations that non-resident foreign nationals were registered on GECOM’s voters’ roll around the time of the 2025 General and Regional Elections. Specifically, the participant alleged:

– Brazilian nationals (not Guyanese-born residents of Brazilian descent) obtained Guyanese national identification cards.
– Venezuelan nationals residing in Bonfim, Brazil, were listed on GECOM’s voters’ roll despite not residing in Guyana.
– Cuban nationals also allegedly received Guyanese identification cards.

These allegations are consistent with prior civil society concerns. In August 2025, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and 11 other civil society organisations submitted a formal complaint to GECOM, citing *”credible reports and video evidence”* of organised groups of individuals arriving at polling stations by bus, most visibly in Region Four. The complaint noted that many of these individuals presented identification cards where the “Nationality” field was recorded as “Commonwealth” rather than “Guyanese” – a practice the complainants argued was legally invalid.

GECOM has formally rejected these claims. The Commission stated that Commonwealth citizens aged 14 years or older who have resided in Guyana for at least one year are eligible to register and vote. GECOM further maintains that the “C” notation in the nationality field has been used for decades and that all entries on the Official List of Electors (OLE) met statutory requirements.

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### 3. Alleged Exclusion of Foreign Nationals from the Cash Grant

The central allegation is that non-resident foreign nationals were registered as voters in exchange for political support and to qualify for the $100,000 cash grant. The bank account requirement is now alleged to serve as a mechanism to exclude these individuals from payment.

The WhatsApp participant stated: *”Now that it’s time to pay out the cash grant, they might not want to pay their foreign national voters. What a convenient and calculated move by the PPP/C crooks.”*

The conversation further noted that some Cuban nationals who obtained Guyanese identification cards are now departing the country without receiving the cash grant. Another participant responded: *”lol … fooled.”*

Budgetary data provide circumstantial support for concerns regarding registry integrity. The 2025 budget allocated $63 billion for the $100,000 cash grant, projected to cover 630,000 adults. The 2026 budget allocation for the same grant is $60 billion – a reduction of $3 billion, equivalent to approximately 30,000 fewer beneficiaries. Critics argue that this reduction suggests a significant number of individuals on the 2025 registry may have been ineligible or non-resident.

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### 4. Funding Constraints on Electoral Oversight

The Government of Guyana’s 2026 budget reduced funding for GECOM by 86 per cent – from $7.3 billion in 2025 to $981.2 million in 2026. This reduction substantially limits GECOM’s capacity to conduct a forensic audit of the voters’ list or the cash grant registry, thereby undermining transparency and accountability.

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### Recommendations

The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN) respectfully recommends the following actions:

1. **Ministry of Finance** – Publish the 2025 cash grant registry (anonymised by region) and provide a formal explanation for the $3 billion reduction in the 2026 budget allocation.

2. **Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)** – Conduct a joint forensic audit of the voters’ list and the cash grant database to identify any non-resident foreign nationals who received both voter registration and cash grant payments.

3. **Office of the President** – Issue clear, written instructions for hinterland residents to access the cash grant without a bank account, including specific procedures for mobile cash disbursement or alternative payment mechanisms.

4. **Parliamentary Oversight Committee** – Restore GECOM’s funding to enable a proper claims-and-objections exercise prior to the 2026 Local Government Elections.

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## References

1. Private WhatsApp conversation, 13–19 March 2026. Transcript on file with the Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN). Participants’ names withheld. Discussion included banking access in Regions 1, 8, and 9, allegations of foreign nationals on GECOM’s voters’ roll, and the $100,000 cash grant.

2. Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). (2025). *Statement on Registration of Commonwealth Citizens*. Georgetown: GECOM Press Office.

3. Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) & 11 Civil Society Organisations. (2025, August). *Formal Complaint Regarding Alleged Irregularities in the 2025 Voters’ Register*. Submitted to GECOM, Georgetown.

4. Jagdeo, B. (2025, November). *Press Conference Remarks on Cash Grant Implementation*. Office of the Vice President, Georgetown.

5. Ministry of Finance, Guyana. (2025). *Budget 2025: Estimates of Expenditure* (Vol. 1, pp. 147–152). Georgetown: Government Printing Office.

6. Ministry of Finance, Guyana. (2026). *Budget 2026: Estimates of Expenditure* (Vol. 1, pp. 132–138). Georgetown: Government Printing Office.

7. Singh, A. (2026, March). *Statement on Hinterland Cash Grant Access*. Ministry of Finance, Georgetown.

8. Stabroek News. (2026, 15 January). “GECOM funding cut by 86% in 2026 budget – concerns over electoral integrity.” Retrieved from https://www.stabroeknews.com (archived).

9. Kaieteur News. (2026, 10 February). “$3 billion hole in cash grant budget – where did 30,000 adults go?” Retrieved from https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com