35 Thousand Jamaicans Have Yet To Collect CARE Grant

Some thirty-five (35) thousand Jamaicans who applied for the COVID-19 Allocation of Resources for Employees, (CARE) Programme have not yet collected their grants.

Representatives from the Ministry of Finance, during their appearance before Parliament’s Public Accounts and Appropriations Committee says the Ministry is now in dialogue with one Remittance Company to disburse the money.

The Ministry of Finance says it has had to re-take the money from the remittance services and banks because the approximately 35-thousand eligible applicants have not yet come forward to claim the money.

Financial Secretary, Darlene Morrison says the payments will now be made through one Remittance Institution.

The Programme which was established to provide financial relief to Jamaicans who have been severely impacted by COVID-19 received more than 500-thousand applications, only 415,888 were eligible.

In July, the Minister of Finance during Parliament said 396,311 disbursements were made. 

Of the 35-thousand applicants who have not collected, 10-thousand are from remittance service and 25-thousand from the banks.

 Manager of the CARE Programme, John Thompson says the Institutions have challenges with identity verification  among other things.  For those 65 years and older, someone could collect on their behalf but that too he says was also a challenge.

Meanwhile, Bank of Jamaica’s Governor Richard Byles says an ID system is needed. But in the meantime, he says the Central Bank is working on a digital payment system for person to person transactions which is expected to address this.

Jamaila Maitland reports for CVM LIVE: