June 5, 2020

Non-Nationals Applied For Salary Relief Grant, Says Finance Minister

By Newsroom

Close to 10,000 of the applications received by the State for the payment of Salary Relief Grants have been rejected, for failing to meet the necessary requirements.

“I would say that based on the information I have received, approximately 20% of the applications received are not valid, for one reason or another.” Finance Minister Colm Imbert told the House of Representatives on Friday.

Among those who applied but were not eligible, were non-nationals living in this country.

The Minister added that several of the rejected applications were people who, after investigation, were found to be unemployed before COVID-19.

Weeding out these kinds of applications, Imbert estimated roughly 40,000 grants will be paid, of the 51,098 applications received.

With the country currently in Phase Three of reopening, with retail stores and the manufacturing and construction sectors among those opened, Imbert said the follow up of the three grant payments will only be paid to those who remain unemployed.

He reminded that the grant was created for citizens within the national insurance system.

As of yesterday (Thursday), there have been 20,173 grant payments made, at a cost of $28 million, according to the Finance Minister.

“The rate at which the Salary Relief Grant Unit is now processing and paying grants is 1000 applications per day,” Imbert said.

He predicted that all payments will be made by June month end.

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