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2.4m paid out in rent to support Bahamians

Tue, May 18th 2021, 05:43 PM
Covid-19 Tribune Stories

THE government has paid out $2.4m in rental assistance to hurting Bahamians amid the COVID-19 pandemic over the last ten months, acting Social Services Director Kim Sawyer revealed yesterday.

“For the period July 2020 to April 2021, 2,118 persons/households have been approved for rental assistance and that’s New Providence and Grand Bahama,” she said. “Total spending is $2.4m.”
#The revelation came after officials announced the launch of the Ministry of Social Services’ processing management information system, ProMIS, which aims to modernise services at the agency.
#The system, which is set to go live in New Providence on June 1 and the remaining islands shortly thereafter, will allow Bahamians seeking social assistance to make applications for various programmes electronically.
#This comes as the social agency continues to see increased demand for public assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with some 7,000 people said to be receiving social assistance from the department by way of their prepaid Bank of The Bahamas card.
#“Currently, approximately 7,000 persons are receiving their assistance through that means and that assistance includes groceries from local vendors throughout the Bahamas,” Social Services Minister Frankie Campbell said yesterday, while noting the ProMIS system will facilitate three methods of payments to approved applicants.
#With the new upgraded online platform, social workers also will be able to better track recipients and reduce application turnaround times among other things.
#“For years, those who wanted to apply for social assistance would have to attend Social Services offices and sometimes wait on long lines and sometimes wait on the outside, sometimes exposed to the elements,” State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson said at yesterday’s Zoom press conference.
#“(But) today, (the Ministry of) Social Services announces the launch of their online application for social services benefits that will allow for those who wish to apply to do so 24/7 from the comfort of their homes.”

“For the period July 2020 to April 2021, 2,118 persons/households have been approved for rental assistance and that’s New Providence and Grand Bahama,” she said. “Total spending is $2.4m.”

The revelation came after officials announced the launch of the Ministry of Social Services’ processing management information system, ProMIS, which aims to modernise services at the agency.

The system, which is set to go live in New Providence on June 1 and the remaining islands shortly thereafter, will allow Bahamians seeking social assistance to make applications for various programmes electronically.

This comes as the social agency continues to see increased demand for public assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with some 7,000 people said to be receiving social assistance from the department by way of their prepaid Bank of The Bahamas card.

“Currently, approximately 7,000 persons are receiving their assistance through that means and that assistance includes groceries from local vendors throughout the Bahamas,” Social Services Minister Frankie Campbell said yesterday, while noting the ProMIS system will facilitate three methods of payments to approved applicants.

With the new upgraded online platform, social workers also will be able to better track recipients and reduce application turnaround times among other things.

“For years, those who wanted to apply for social assistance would have to attend Social Services offices and sometimes wait on long lines and sometimes wait on the outside, sometimes exposed to the elements,” State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson said at yesterday’s Zoom press conference.

“(But) today, (the Ministry of) Social Services announces the launch of their online application for social services benefits that will allow for those who wish to apply to do so 24/7 from the comfort of their homes.”

 

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