KINGSTON, Jamaica— Approximately 27,350 Jamaicans will receive a one-off $16,000 payment under the COVID – 19 Cash Assistance programme.

The $155 million cash transfer initiative, which was officially launched on Tuesday (December 22), is aimed at aiding poor and needy people, who are not benefiting from Government social assistance, a release said.

The United Nations World Food Programme, through the Canadian Government, provided a grant to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to undertake the initiative. The Ministry will oversee the equitable distribution of the funds.

The cash distribution is being facilitated by WiPay (Jamaica) Limited, through its network of outlets across the island.

Speaking at the launch at the Ministry in Kingston, portfolio minister, Karl Samuda, said that the use of WiPay will increase efficiency in the distribution of the funds and facilitate greater levels of accountability.

“We saw the need to make most of our activities digital so that persons can choose when to go to collect what they need. They will then have the cash to do as they like and the place of choice to shop, etc. It allows for greater flexibility, greater accountability because the system is one that makes provision for automatic audit, which is very important to us,” Samuda said.

“We welcome it; it is a precursor to what is enroute because we want to convert the entire operation of our Ministry to a digital platform where we can have instant recall, instant assessment. We will be able to monitor very quickly, all that has transpired, so it is a welcome intervention, and we look forward to the success that will result from it,” he added.