New round of COVID welfare payments to start

A batch of 12,265 Jamaicans under the Supporting Employees with Transfer of Cash (SET Cash) programme are to start receiving payments this week.

Financial Secretary Darlene Morrison told members of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee yesterday that the payment to SET Cash beneficiaries would cover the month of April.

She said that the ministry was unable to meet the April deadline for the SET Cash and Best Cash programmes because of a number of issues, including checks to ascertain if applicants had been laid off.

With many Jamaicans enquiring for weeks if the Government would reopen the Compassionate Grant programme, Morrison said there was no indication at this time that more Jamaicans would benefit.

However, she said that in relation to the SET Cash programme, the ministry had not set a deadline for receiving applications at this time.

Some committee members complained that their constituents who are in dire need of the benefits have been facing myriad challenges despite being eligible for the grants.

Responding to queries about delays in one of the programmes, Morrison said that the BEST Cash was advanced with a set of conditions, and the tourism sector has had discussions with the minister, requesting adjustments. This, she said, led to some delays in payout.

“It is not that the system overall has not worked. We have had requests for adjustments in how the programme should operate,” said Morrison, noting that the ministry had to finalise what should be done before making any payments under the BEST programme.