The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

STATE Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson said the government has budgeted for the extension of unemployment benefits until September.

“It’s about trying to transition from the government continuing to pay out the unemployment benefits to the government now finding ways to stimulate the private sector to create employment,” he said.

Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson said the Ministry of Social Services has seen a bump up in their budget. According to the 2021/2022 budget, the department has received $81.5m, about $20m more than last year’s allocation.

Mr Johnson said: “If come September those persons are still unemployed, the plan is to transition them off to a Social Services programme.”

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said on Wednesday that $118m was spent in government funded unemployment assistance, including direct cash for unemployed and self-employed Bahamians.

“While neighbouring countries may have only provided unemployment assistance for up to three months, my government made the conscious decision and have committed thus far to extend unemployment assistance for some 15 months already to end July 2021,” Dr Minnis said.

“While neighbouring countries may have only provided unemployment assistance for up to three months, my government made the conscious decision and have committed thus far to extend unemployment assistance for some 15 months already to end July 2021.”

Dr Minnis said up to March 2021, $25.9m was spent on COVID-19 public health and safety measures to ensure the healthcare system and healthcare workers had what they needed to function.

Thirty-two and a half million dollars was spent in social assistance, mostly through the food assistance programme.

Forty-four and a half million dollars was spent as part of a payroll support programme which allowed private businesses to use tax credits to pay their employees.

Dr Minnis said $53.3m was spent in business continuity support to entrepreneurs and small businesses and $5m was given to private schools above their budgeted subventions to provide operational and payroll support.

As part of the government’s COVID-19 programme, more than 1,000 small businesses were approved for loan and grant financing. Dr Minnis said this represented a collective total of $45m that was allocated and disseminated through the Access Accelerator Programme of the Small Business Development Centre.

Dr Minnis said the upcoming budget anticipates some $100m will be spent in direct COVID-19 related support in the form of food assistance, unemployment assistance and health sector support.

In acting during the pandemic, Dr Minnis said his administration sought to protect the wellbeing of citizens and residents, maintain economic stability despite the COVID-19 crisis and “plant the seeds for an accelerated recovery.”