–as second phase of distribution progresses

THE Ministry of Finance has said that an estimated 40,565 families will benefit from the second phase of the government’s $25,000 per household COVID-19 relief grant, with holders of the pink slips/query forms already receiving their funds. Distribution exercises in Regions Two and Nine are completed, and statistics show that some 2,576 families would have benefitted collectively from a disbursement of $64.4 million through the grants. Meanwhile, distributions in Regions One, Seven, and Eight are 80 per cent completed, with 2,056 of an estimated 2,235 families receiving their cash grants valuing approximately $51.4 million out of the budgeted $55. 8 million for those regions.
With most of the work being completed in those regions, authorities will soon turn their attention to Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and Ten.
The Regional Executive Officers of those regions are putting systems in place to start the distribution process in the new week.
The Ministry of Finance said the over $1.1 billion COVID-19 relief initiative is catered for in the 2021 Budget under the Ministry of Social Services and is being executed by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

In 2020, $4.5 billion was allocated for the first phase of the initiative, which started in September. During that distribution exercise, primary households received the grant, while tenants or other families residing at the same address were issued a ‘pink slip’ for follow-up during the second phase.
In December, the National Assembly approved an additional $2.5 billion to continue the cash grant relief efforts.
In addition to this measure, the government also distributed $1.73 billion to Amerindian communities as part of its one-off COVID-19 relief investment fund aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and revitalising hinterland economies.
Persons with queries about their COVID pink slip grant can contact the ministry on telephone number 223-7040/223-7039. (DPI)