Religious leaders who have accepted grant funding from the State to widen their COVID-19 relief efforts will have to submit a written account for the monies spent.

This was revealed by Social Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, who confirmed that the first batch of relief cheques was distributed on Saturday.

While the groups will have to account for how their first allocation is spent in order to receive further assistance, Minister Robinson Regis admitted, there’s not much in place to enforce compliance in the first instance. That is, except for moral suasion. “If they are given a grant to provide a certain amount of sustenance to the people, then I am assuming they will do what they are asked to do” the Minister said during a press briefing on Monday afternoon. “And I also believe that because they are so steeped in their faith that they will not move away from doing the right thing. They know that God is watching them” she added.

When asked what happens if a religious body is found to have misused their first allocation, Minister Robinson Regis said “The only consequence is that they will have to account to their God and secondly, we will not give the second tranche.”

Various religious organizations across all denominations will receive government funding for food drives, with the Roman Catholic Church receiving the largest allocation at an initial amount of $2,547,257. The figures were calculated by the Ecclesiastical Division of the Office of the Prime Minister and is based on the size of each body’s registered membership.

All of the organizations have so far accepted the assistance with the exception of the Jehovah Witness community, who the Social Development Minister had “ideological issues” which it is yet to iron out to determine if it can, in fact, accept State funding.

Each group is required to submit the relevant bills and receipts within two weeks of receiving the government cheques.

Government has committed to an allocation of $30 million, to be disbursed over the course of three months.