In Guyana, the wealth generated by oil is being distributed in various ways. One of them is direct payments to citizens.

The country, a neighbor to Brazil, is the fastest-growing in the world. Its economy grew six times in size over the past ten years: it was US$ 4.2 billion in 2015 and reached US$ 24 billion in 2024. Growth has been in double digits since 2020, with numbers like 63% increase in 2022, 34% in 2023, and 43% in 2024, according to the World Bank.

In this context, at the end of 2024, the government began offering cash grants to all citizens over 18 years old, totaling around 600,000 people.

Each one received a one-time payment of 100,000 Guyanese dollars, equivalent to R$ 2,590 at the current exchange rate. The official minimum wage in the country is US$ 60,000 local dollars (R$ 1,550).

Earlier, the government had discussed giving 200,000 Guyanese dollars (R$ 5,170) per household, but the system would be more difficult to implement and would not directly reach young adults still living with their parents.

The government allocated 61 billion Guyanese dollars (R$ 1.5 billion) for the payments. In May, it released an additional 3 billion. The payment is made through printed checks. The printing costs alone amounted to 342.9 million Guyanese dollars (R$ 8.8 million).

President Ali says the measure aims to "share the nation's wealth." Seeking re-election, he has suggested that another 100,000 local dollar payment could be made this Christmas.

"I heard the Prime Minister say that next year there will be another payment. If you behave, you'll get it this year," he said on Wednesday, 27, during a rally. "We’re going to have a beautiful Christmas," he added.

The country will have elections on September 1, and Ali is seeking a second term. Opposition candidates also promise to expand social benefits.

Other Programs

In addition to the payment for all adults, there are more benefits. In March of this year, the government began giving a 100,000 Guyanese dollars payment for each baby born this year.

The payment is made before the woman leaves the hospital after childbirth, according to the government.

"The future of our children is something we must invest in intentionally. This payment is not a privilege, it is a right for all children in Guyana," Ali said in a statement.

In another initiative, parents of school-aged children received a payment of 50,000 Guyanese dollars (R$ 1,300).

Besides cash benefits, the government of Guyana has made several tax cuts on items such as water supply, energy, and food.

The IMF estimates that the country will continue growing strongly, at an average annual rate of 14% over the next five years.

“The outlook remains highly favorable. Oil production will continue to expand rapidly, and real non-oil GDP growth is expected to remain strong, largely supported by government efforts to invest in infrastructure, including adaptation to climate change, promotion of economic diversification, and improvement of the population's welfare,” the fund states.

The text was translated with artificial intelligence. If you have any questions or corrections, please write to rafael.balago (at) exame.com."