Collect your cash grant and continue working – Bharrat urges miners

With the government preparing to distribute another $100,000 cash grant per adult citizen across the country, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat is urging the public to remain productive and continue working after receiving the funds.

“Some of our workers, when they collect the cash grant, they don’t go back to work immediately. But we want to encourage you that collect your cash grant and continue working The cash grant is supposed to supplement your regular earning,” he said while addressing miners at Puruni Landing in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Friday last.

The minister was at the time detailing some of the measures in Budget 2026 that will benefit stakeholders in the mining sector. He assured that the $100,000 cash grant per adult citizen will be distributed when the budget is passed. On this point, he reiterated that the cash grant is meant to supplement regular earnings and is not intended to replace income.

“So, I want to encourage you, collect your cash grant as Guyanese, but go back to work, continue working, and continue engaging in your economic activity and daily routine of earning a living,” he emphasised.

Touching on other benefits in budget 2026, Minister Bharrat explained how the removal of taxes of several categories of vehicles will result in significant savings for stakeholders in the mining sector.

“Now, a 2,000 cc four-door pickup, the duty on that vehicle will be $2,000,000. And that applies to any year. So, if you choose to buy a vehicle that is 2025, you still pay the $2,000,000 duty on it. That is a savings of almost $7,000,000,” the minister outlined.

“And you would know that most of the new vehicles that are being manufactured today comes with a smaller engine, but it is turbocharged, mainly because it is designed that way to cut emissions in the whole context of climate change, as well as lower consumption of fuel. And for those of you who prefer to buy a four-door pickup with a bigger engine or more power, Budget 2026 also caters for a reduction in duty for a four-door pickup 2,500 cc and below. You will only pay $3,000,000 duty on a four-door pickup 2,500 cc and below. And again, it applies to any year. So, if you decide to buy a 2025 four-door pickup that is 2,400 cc, you will pay $3,000,000. That is a savings of almost $10,000,000 on duty, “he added.

“I know many of you use ATVs, and right now if you will purchase a Honda ATV, you will pay almost $3.5 million for one ATV…After the budget is passed next week, you will pay less than $2 million for one Honda ATV. Because there will be no duty on ATVs anymore,” the minister further explained.

Further, Minister Bharrat highlighted that Guyana is one of the few countries in the world where there are no taxes on fuel – another tremendous benefit for the mining sector.

He also explained that small miners can utilise the Guyana Development Bank to access capital to support their operations.