CARE CASH RUSH
Crowds flock institutions to claim gov’t compassionate grant payouts
SCORES OF people who turned up yesterday at the Pavilion Mall to collect their government-issued compassionate grants at Western Union made a mockery of physical distancing as they converge on the financial institution.
There were long lines stretching from the parking lot and extending up three flights of stairs.
Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke, announced that 250,000 persons who have been confirmed for compassionate grants under the Government’s COVID-19 Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) Programme were expected to receive their payments.
Although police officers attempted to keep order in the lines and physical distancing at the Half-Way Tree-based mall, as soon as the lawmen moved, chaotic scenes returned.
A 65-year-old man who declined to disclose his name said that he stood in the line for more than two hours and there were no provisions made for the elderly.
“I have been here since 9 a.m. and people skip me and I can’t do anything about it. There’s no line here for old people or anything, everybody has to stand up in the one line. I just want the money to buy some food because I had to use my pension pay the light bill because it come expensive this month,” he shared.
WAITING IN VAIN
A woman, who stood for hours in the line, complained bitterly that she had been waiting for hours and only made it to the second floor.
“If me did know say a so out here so did ago nasty and stay, me wouldn’t come out here from last night and come wait. Since COVID me business kinda mash up, so me just need this money fi can maintain me house,” she said.
While the lines were also long at the Western Union’s Cross Roads branch, a sense of order was maintained and there was a separate line for elderly customers.
Deborah Channer, who turned out to pick up her money, said that she was looking forward to sharing the funds with her 19-yearold son.
“My son used to do holiday work and so and a him would pay the bills but two months ago them say him contract up, so I am planning to share the money in half with him. With my half, I am going to find something to buy and sell with it to see how best I can flip it,” Channer said.
The $10-billion CARE Programme aims to alleviate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals and entities.