60 thousand people have applied for urgent assistance under the
COVID-19 Unemployment Relief Program - and up to today, only 1,500
names have been approved and processed for payment.
Those payments were sent to Social Security this morning at about
10:00, but this evening we can confirm that only about 500 of that
1,500 got payment, and those are the persons who have accounts at
Atlantic Bank.
So that’s a little more than 500 out of a long line of exactly 59,500
persons who have applied and been approved for the assistance program.
It’s 150 dollars bi - weekly and for those who have lost their jobs and
are feeding their families noodles and sausage, it can’t come too
quickly. Tour operator Tom Greenwood says many of them are his members:
Tom Greenwood - FECTAB
"The situation is dire Jules, there are as far as I can remember, 1,983
guides, those are only the guides, there are hundreds or tour
operators, there are hundreds of families Jules that have nothing to
eat, our people are starving, we are starving, please understand this."
Jules Vasquez
"Most of the payments will be distributed until next week, so 1,500
only have gone out, I don't know if those will reach people's accounts
by the end of business today, it likely will not. Have your operators
received any of these disbursements?"
Tom Greenwood
"Not that I know of because we get regular messages from people all
over the country and I have yet to receive one that says, I began
getting my thing today, it's going too slowly, much too slowly Jules.
Some of us, that have a little left in our pockets, we're providing
ramen for god sake, that is the most vile food on this planet but it's
cheap and available and we're providing ramen to people. This thing
hurts me beyond, I will tell you the truth Jules, I sat down at home
and I cried, I couldn't stop, I cried and I think here is a bunch of
people who are native Belizeans, who built an industry, who provided
for so many people and then have to wait weeks for something to happen
that couldn't happen fast enough. Our backs are against the wall, we
don't know what to do next."
So, when will payments go out? Well, as we told you, the Chairman of
the Social Security Board, Doug Singh says Social security did get the
payments cleared at Atlantic Bank today and those accounts should have
already been credited. He said they were unable to get it through the
Belize, Bank and Scotia Bank on time - and he was unsure of Heritage
Bank. Those with Credit Union accounts will have to wait until next
week Tuesday.
And according to the Government’s economic car Dr. Carla Barnett by
next week Wednesday, at least 25 thousand more payments to eligible
persons will be processed and disbursed.
And the last 30 plus thousand? Well, they are expected to get
disbursements within two weeks.
Barnett said they are concentrating as a first priority on persons who
already have bank accounts.
Barnett stresses that applicants should make an extra effort to have
their name and all their particulars and entered correctly - since
small errors in the spelling of names, Social Security numbers, or
telephone numbers have caused delays. Forms for the relief program can
be found at COVID19.BZ
. Those who are ineligible and should not apply are:
1. Those who are not Belizean nationals
2. Those laid off in March 2020 by the Belize Tourism Board
3. Those under 18 years of age
4. And, those receiving benefits from other government or social
security programs
If you need help to fill out the form, a short instructional video can
is on the www.covid19.bz
website.
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