The ‘Men on Mission’ initiative built 50 homes for poor families in 2023 but with its entire $500 million allocation from the government completely utilised last year, the support for vulnerable Guyanese was much more extensive.
Another $500 million was approved by the Parliamentary Committee of Supply for work to continue on 2024 on Tuesday and there were strong assurances by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira that a structure is now in place to ensure accountability.
To date, a total of $1 billion has been allocated by the government to the programme which also benefits from significant contributions from companies and individuals.
“There is a structure under the national committee… in terms of last year, there is a report on what the money was spent on and for the programme this year what they intend to use the half a billion on,” Teixeira.
In recapping the work in 2023, the Minister said 50 prefabricated homes were built while the humanitarian assistance provided also included the delivery of building materials to other families.
Another $29 million in assistance was distributed among the five families of the “fallen Heroes” – the five ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Colonel Michael Shahoud, Brigadier (Ret’d) Gary Beaton, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome and Staff Sergeant Jason Khan, who died in a horrific helicopter crash on December 6.
Men on Mission also purchased a 15-seater bus and an enclosed canter in 2023 to support its work included the distribution of hampers to key communities.
Last year, President Ali said the Men on Mission (MoM) initiative that he is leading will help with the construction of approximately 150 homes across the country for vulnerable persons who own their house lots in 2024.
Expanding the project, the Head of State also posited that the Government will explore the option of providing the Guyanese-Venezuela migrants who have returned with jobs. This, he said will be complemented with workers from Albouystown and other similar communities throughout the country. These workers, the President noted, will be trained thoroughly in carpentry and masonry.
The Head of State also emphasised that he does not want MoM to become a reactive initiative but a proactive one that is spread across the entire country.
