Jackson: Financial Assistance Cheques Delay
Louise Jackson, OBA spokesperson for Seniors and Social Services/Financial Assistance, spoke out saying, “The failure to deliver Financial Assistance monthly cheques on time is deeply disturbing.”
“It causes hardship for people least able to bear it. People have gone without medication. Some have suffered the indignity of landlords confronting them over non-payment of rent.”
“The one saving grace for people on Financial Assistance is that they have been able to use their food cards.”
“As this issue came to my attention, Financial Assistance clients complained that no advisory had been issued on the delayed mailings.”
“Seniors travelled to pick them up at post offices to no avail, and called the Accountant General’s Office to learn what was happening.”
“When I inquired about the situation with the Accountant General payment clerk, I was told there was a ‘glitch’, with a batch of payments sent ‘a few days ago’ and a second batch sent on Tuesday past,” said Mrs Jackson.
“Times are tough all around, but it has been especially stressful for people on Financial Assistance, particularly those with families, and seniors. Many have lost their jobs and have not been able to find another.”
“In light of their delicate situation, it is essential that the Government comes through for them. ‘Glitches’ are not acceptable, and if they happen then officials need to communicate immediately to inform their clients.”
“More broadly, it’s my view that the Government needs to pay closer attention to the details of making things work. Over the past few months, we have seen interruptions in ferry and bus services because of continuing maintenance and manpower challenges.”
“At Dockyard, we have seen the construction of a cruise ship port which the Government has failed to provide adequate public transportation support.”
“The Government needs to do better and that means its Cabinet Ministers, who are responsible for setting direction and making sure services are delivered on time and as promised,” concluded Mrs Jackson.
Today a spokesman for the department of Department of Financial Assistance said, “The Department of Financial Assistance (DFA) was alerted last Friday by the Accountant General’s Department of problems being experienced completing the download of checks and wire payments for the DFA 2nd run.”
“DFA understands that the problem was resolved late yesterday afternoon, and checks are now being sent out and wire payments should hit accounts by this Friday.”
Well at least they know that some form of assistance will come in I for one do not and I am not sitting on my bacckside waiting but doing what I can to get back to work. Plus they said there was A problem with the system I know a friend that works there and they spent the better part of their long weekend working
I agree…sometimes Mrs. Jackson just goes over the top and acts like everything is some grand conspiracy. Computer problems can happen anyywhere-it’s just one of those things.
I feel for the seniors who have paid their dues, but I also wonder what some of these younger people are doing to help themselves instead of just waiting on a cheque every month fron Gov’t.
The problem isn’t with the delay, it is with the lack of notification that there is a problem, and the short, sharp responses given to those who ask what has happened.
This is not the first time the staff at Financial Assistance have been described as “rude”. I was warned by others not to take on a Financial Assistance tenant because FA has been known to cut funding without warning, without notifying landlords that their payments will not be arriving, and with a short, sharp “ask your tenant” response followed by a hang-up, when called for explanations regarding non-payment.
I made the decision to rent to a young woman with a child, and I know that she has a rigorous schedule of job-hunting requirements to meet in order to continue to receive benefits. I see her hope when she is commended for job-hunting on the week-ends and her depression when she gets a negative response or worse, no response from the multitude of applications she has put out.
These cheques are over three weeks late! Some clients will not receive them until Friday,June 24th. How would you like to have your salary delayed for 24 days or more?
Miss X
Perhaps the Bermuda GoverNment is bankrupt and delayed payment until they could source some new funds? Well done PLP! No to worry PLP you will be voted back in….
by ‘glitch’ do they really mean (another) bank overdraft
But in all seriousness, Government is perhaps the slowest payor when it comes to settling their bills with the private sector. One would have thought it was due to the rigorous internal controls in place to prevent collusion, theft, graft or Ministerial interference …. but successive Auditor General reports indicate otherwise.