Over 21,000 families paid out $2.0 million in the Nadi Lautoka containment area.
The Fijian Government has topped up 21,657 MPAiSA and MyCash accounts with the $90 cash assistance. This is a total payout of around $2.0 million to assist families in the Nadi Lautoka containment area.
The Acting Permanent Secretary for Economy, Mr Shiri Gounder confirmed that a total of 27,313 applications have been assessed so far from the Nadi Lautoka containment area since applications opened on Thursday. Out of this, 5,656 applications did not qualify as these applicants were recipients of the unemployment assistance already being provided by Government in partnership with FNPF. A total of $286 million has been paid out under this initiative, with $158 million coming directly from the Fijian Government and $128 million withdrawn from FNPF member General Accounts.
As earlier advised through the media and through the Vodafone and Digicel SMS platform, applications for the Nadi Lautoka containment area have closed as of 5pm today, 08 May. The remaining applications received this afternoon will be paid out after the verification process.
“From 9.00 am tomorrow we will open up applications for the Lami, Suva, Nasinu and Nausori area and to ensure that this assistance reaches families even much faster we will switch away from the current SMS platform used for the Nadi Lautoka area to USSD,” said Mr Gounder. This will also avoid multiple registrations and will fast track the verification process, he added.
This means that affected families in the Lami, Suva, Nasinu and Nausori area can dial *161# to apply for the $90 assistance. Applicants will have to provide the following details.
-Full name of the applicant;
-Applicants FNPF number, if any;
-Applicants Tax Identification Number, if any;
-Home address;
-Number of people in the household; and
-Confirm if any other household member has applied for this assistance.
For those that prefer payments in their bank accounts the following additional details will be required.
-The Account name;
-Bank Account number; and
-Name of the Bank.
This cash assistance of $90 is provided to affected households and only one individual from each household should apply. Civil servants are also not eligible. Households should use this assistance prudently to buy their food supplies and other basic essentials.