A modest gathering of fewer than one hundred demonstrators assembled outside the Office of the President in Guyana on Monday, responding to a mobilization call by the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). The protest targeted President Irfaan Ali’s unfulfilled campaign pledge to distribute a Christmas cash grant to citizens grappling with escalating living costs.
Protesters brandished placards with messages including “The money belongs to the people of Guyana. Pay it now” and “We can’t eat beauty. Fancy don’t pay bills. We need the cash grant for Christmas.” The assembly featured chants and visual demands emphasizing the urgent need for financial relief during the holiday season.
APNU parliamentarian Dr. Dexter Todd, speaking from the picket line, articulated the coalition’s demand for a minimum payment of GY$150,000 for every Guyanese citizen aged 18 and above. Dr. Todd emphasized the people’s rightful claim to national resources, stating, “This money belongs to the people of Guyana and because it belongs to the people of Guyana, we are very serious in relation to how they must be treated.”
The protest gained additional participation from civil society groups including the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity and the Vigilant Political Action Committee. Demonstrators marched from the Square of the Revolution to the eastern perimeter of the presidential compound.
APNU parliamentary leader Dr. Terrence Campbell criticized President Ali’s recent remarks at a campaign meeting in Eccles, where he suggested citizens would receive “a beautiful Christmas if you behave yourself.” Dr. Campbell countered this position firmly: “The money is the people’s money; they don’t have to behave themselves to get it.”
The demonstration highlighted growing concerns over economic distress, with Dr. Todd referencing “alarming” unemployment rates and citing numerous instances of citizens in “desperate need” of financial assistance. The opposition coalition announced intentions to pursue legislative measures that would establish specific timelines for cash transfer disbursements, moving away from reliance on political discretion.
President Ali, who strongly hinted at holiday cash grants during the final weeks of the 2025 general and regional election campaign, has yet to announce a concrete timeline for distribution.