Dear Claudienne,

I applied to the Ministry of Finance for the over 60 COVID payment on July 17, 2021 after I had my second COVID vaccination on July 7, 2021. I received notification that I was eligible for the payment on August 25, 2021.

In November, I got an ”ACTION REQUIRED” on the tracking site saying my bank account was dormant. (It had become dormant during the time since my application). I reactivated the account on December 9, 2021 and edited the application accordingly.

On December 16, 2021 I was still receiving the ”ACTION REQUIRED” so contacted the WeCare e-mail to see what was happening. Nina Brown was the person that I had e-mail correspondence with.

The WeCare e-mail system would not accept that my bank account was reactivated, so it was suggested that the payment would be disbursed via MoneyGram on the of March 23, 2022 but ”that may take some time” and another ”re-evaluation” would be done, it stated.

On Friday, October 21, 2022 I e-mailed a query to WeCare to see if enough time had passed for an update as I had been informed that I would be contacted when MoneyGram had my payment. The e-mail was returned undelivered twice.

Is it possible for you to check what has happened to the payment I was deemed eligible for 14 months ago? Please note that I still have all the emails pertaining to this payment if required.

Thanking you.

SM

Dear SM

When Tell Claudienne spoke with the former director of the WeCare programme on November 14, 2022, he said that the programme had ended. He, however, asked for your TRN and the reference # you got from WeCare to investigate why you did not get the payment. On receiving your TRN and the WeCare reference #, the WeCare director sent the column the following e-mail:

“We have found her record and have identified the challenge SM mentioned with the errors received from her dormant account in August 2021. I also acknowledge that she advised that she cleared the error with her account almost four months afterwards and edited her account in December 2021.

I would appreciate your forbearance while I research whether any mitigation mentioned in SM’s message was taken and, if not, what may have led to the current result. I am also surprised that SM received assurances in October 2022 given that the programme had made its final disbursement in May 2022. I would appreciate knowing who provided such assurances — it is inconsistent with the programme advisories that have been circulated and presents a great training opportunity. Please allow me a bit more time to provide closure to this escalation.”

On December 7, 2022 Tell Claudienne was informed by the director, corporate communication and public relations branch of the Ministry of Finance & the Public Service that contact has been made with SM and she has been advised accordingly about the status of her payment. Unfortunately, I am unable to share those details with you.

After you were informed that the column had been told that you had been contacted by the WeCare office, you sent Tell Claudienne the following e-mail.

“This afternoon [December 7, 2022 at 1:39 pm] I received a phone call from a lady from MOF 8769228600 which lasted for over 17 minutes. She told me that the programme had finished on the 23rd of March, 2022 and that all monies in the system were returned to the ministry on that date regardless of how far along the process of disbursement had reached.

I asked her why I was still receiving emails from Nina Brown up to 31st March, if that was the case and did not receive an explanation. She then went on to say that after my bank account was reactivated on 9th December, 2021, they tried to make the payment but my bank, First Global Bank, Montego Bay, had not responded. So the decision was made to use MoneyGram to pay me.

I asked why I hadn’t been informed that there was a problem so that I could have contacted the bank myself to hurry them along…”I’m sorry,” she said.

“‘We old people are not sure when dealing with technology and in my view the system should have been easier to use.’ ” I told her.

”I’m sorry, she said.”

Today [December 7] is the first contact I have had from MOF since the 31st March e-mail saying my claim was to be re-evaluated again and it may take some time… this after the supposed cut off date? “

On December 15, you informed the column by e-mail of the following conversation you had with the manager of your bank that day.

“I went to Montego Bay and spoke to the manager at FGB about the MOF claim that the Bank had rejected the payment several times.

He confirmed that my account has been active, with no breaks, since 9th December 2021 and that there was no indication that attempts had been made to deposit the payment in my account.”

Regrettably, here appears to have been misunderstandings and confusion that resulted in the programme ending without you receiving your WeCare payment.

Nonetheless, we wish you all the best.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 876-936-9436 or Cell # 876-484-1349 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance,Jamaica Observer, 40-421/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or email:edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.