Applications are now open for the Social Cash Transfers Assistance Programme which is intended to help vulnerable individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, Youth at Risk, Gender Affairs, Seniors Security and Dominicans with Disabilities with the support of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). It is funded by the UK Foreign Office, Commonwealth and Development Office and WFP.
The objective of the programme is to provide temporary income support to eligible vulnerable individuals and families who have experienced a loss or reduction of income and consumption due the negative impacts of COVID-19 quarantines, curfews and shutdowns.
“The programme is designed to help address basic needs including food, health, education and other necessities,” states an announcement from the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, Youth at Risk, Gender Affairs, Seniors Security and Dominicans with Disabilities
Three thousand (3000) people, 2000 of whom are automatically registered under the Public Assistant Programme (PAP), are to benefit from the programme. These PAP beneficiaries will be automatically included in the programme. They will receive two top-ups of 225 EC dollars for a period of two months for a total value of $450 EC.
“The top-ups will be given on the same day and through the same payment channels of the regular delivery of PAP benefits (e.g. bank transfers, cheques or cash),” the announcement said. The the groups that are being assisted in this programme are eligible senior citizens (between the age of 60 and 69), persons with disabilities who are not registered on the PAP and are not receiving other types of financial support and other vulnerable groups as approved by the government of the Commonwealth of Dominica including eligible fisherfolks and/or fish vendors and small craft vendors and/or producers.
The groups must meet one or more of the following qualifying conditions:
- Be ineligible to receive assistance under other COVID-19 response programmes including the Employee and Small Business Programme, the Self-Employed Individual Grant Assistance, the Agriculture Crop and Livestock Support and the Direct Farm Support Cash Grant
- Not be receiving financial support through other social assistance programmes
Priority will be given to applicants who, in addition to the conditions above, meet other eligibility criteria including number of dependents and family composition, the total family income and other vulnerabilities (e.g. gender, social status, disability and age).
Persons can apply via on-site registration, on the phone or through an online application form.
Applicants will be expected to adhere to COVID-19 social distancing measures during the registration process.
“Applicants will need to wear their facemask at all times and have their hands sanitised,” the announcement states. “While we will try to expedite the registration process as much as possible, it is recommended that applicants bring at least a snack and drinking water.”
The statement continues, “ In order to avoid large crowds gathering at the registration points, you are encouraged to come back at a later time if the registration lines are too long, to visit another council/constituency registration point or to use other registration methods described below (phone and online).”
Applicants who wish to register by phone are asked to call the hotline numbers and speak to an operator who will collect their information on the phone: Tel. 616 3473, Tel. 613 7325, Tel. 612 8420, Tel. 612 8446. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00, from the 14th to the 25th of September (inclusive). Applicants will need to provide details of a form of identification, if available. They will also need to provide the contact information of an official who can verify their application (full name, a telephone number and her/his email address).
Recommended officials for that purpose include:
- Village Council personnel (Chairman / Clerk)
- Justice of the Peace
- Social Welfare Officer
- School Teacher or Principal
- Pastor
- Nurse
The process and requirements of verification are the same as the other forms of registration (on-site and phone). In the online registration form you will be required to upload a picture of your identification document, if available, and to provide the contact information of an official who can verify your application (full name, a telephone number and her/his email address).
Recommended officials for that aspect of the registration are:
- Village Council personnel (Chairman / Clerk)
- Justice of the Peace
- Social Welfare Officer
- School Teacher or Principal
- Pastor
- Nurse
Once the registration process is completed, applicants will be scored according to the eligibility criteria and vulnerabilities described previously. The most vulnerable individuals and families identified through this process will be first verified through their nominated official.
“This could take up to 1-2 weeks,” the announcement said. “If the verification process is successful, selected beneficiaries will be informed and included into the programme. Non selected beneficiaries will also be notified of the results of the selection process.”
Applicants can also register online at the following link:socialprogramme.dominica.gov.dm
No prize for guessing what political affiliation the recipients of this program need to have…!
Its all well and good that those who are in need of money in these difficult and trying times are receiving something. Its interesting though, that our government has not been able to put together a solid stimulus package for its citizens but we are depending on the the World Bank, WFP and the UK foreign office to assist us. Where are the monies used during elections? Things was so good, people were given cash in hand, buses had coolers of drinks, food was shared in some constituencies, all kinds of expensive artist came on island. We were told Dominica was doing better than other islands, yet, these islands were able to put some form of stimulus package. It is sad that the government of Dominica is so broke that the DLP has more monies and resources available at their disposal. Its a sad situation that people love their political party more than they love their country. They so “Poto” that they are blinded to the realities. Too late shall be their cries.
should read, “Laborites and party supporters to benefit from Social Cash Transfer Program. What these people need to do is stop just handing out money and create an environment where the people of the various communities can make their own money. Creat venues that they can use for social gatherings and their entire communities can benefit. Allow the people to develop their own cash generating programs instead of constantly having to go in OUR treasury to just be giving people money with no real impact. They always have to come back for more and more and more and more. In the end you are not helping Dominica or Dominicans. You are turning us into beggars and lazy good for nothings.
Oh you and Ibo France just stay overseas and doe play like you are down here. I don’t like the way these fellas do many things either. Then again, what do you expect from aunsophisticated overwhelmed VielleCase pabna who just take the easy road to just call World Bank (which is an actual bank), call China, they all give a small grant and large loan. Anybody, my old uncle Bebe can sit there and do that without thinking, then keep us indebted. But you both sound so foolish just commenting without saying anything other than you hate the man. Boring!
Im in Roseau Doctor. Im on the ground. Living in Dominica and feeling the change in the environment. I work and pay taxes and IM ELIGIBLE to vote in Dominica.
Also if thats all you got from my comment that there’s something wrong with you. I spoke about empowering our people and putting things in place for the respective communities to benefit from. Even if it is a proper sporting facility or play ground. giving people 500, 1,000, 10,000 has no long term social or economic impact. Advice i giving you. If i hate you Dr., i wont give you my advice. I wouldnt even give you second look.
Thousands of residents are in dire need of any assistance they can get in these economically perilous times. To meet the criteria that have been set to access this financial assistance programme is like a stranger gaining access to the heavily fortified and tightly guarded Fort Knox in the US where bars of told worth billions are stored. This, as with all things done by the incumbent regime will be fraught with politics.
Most Dominicans would rather to procure a good paying job for themselves than to rely on the government’s intermittent measly handouts. But, Skerrit and his Cabinet of pathetic imbeciles hate decimated the country’s economy. Agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, tourism are all sputtering or practically lifeless.
Every country has the government it deserves. Too many Dominicans have sat on chicken-heartedly on their laurels for much too long and watch the carnage done to their country by a most CORRUPT and sadistic regime.