The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

WITH the unemployment assistance benefit ending on December 31 last year a senior official said yesterday the government has not made a decision on whether to extend it.

“It is under consideration but no decision has been made yet,” State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for the National Insurance Board Myles Laroda told reporters.

On January 11, Tribune Business reported that Mr Laroda said Cabinet would likely decide that day whether to further extend the government-funded COVID-19 unemployment benefit.

When he was asked about extending the COVID-19 unemployment benefit again more recently, Mr Laroda said the number of individuals requesting unemployment assistance has been reduced due to the improving job market.

“The unemployment assistance benefit ended on December 31, 2021,” he said yesterday. “The government has not made a decision on whether to further extend. We are still awaiting information from NIB with regards to the figures. We know that the number of individuals requesting the unemployment assistance has been greatly reduced due to the opening of Baha Mar, due to the opening of Atlantis and other properties in the country and as the economy opens further we expect those numbers to be reduced further,” he said.

He added: “The (NIB) fund is under severe pressure. I think the unemployment assistance along with the stimulus we are close to $200m of monies that were paid out. Looks like things are turning around. The pressure is being reduced and so hopefully moving forward as we replenish there, the fund will be okay.”