Man questions why he did not get govt cash assistance when his income has been affected

A resident of Navosai in Nasinu, Mahendra Singh has raised concerns that he has not received the $360 government unemployment assistance although he is on reduced hours.

Singh says sometimes he works three days in a week, four days and at times also gets called in for five days in a week.

Singh says when he called on 158, he was told that based on his FNPF deductions, he is still employed.

He says the fact is that his income has been affected and he is not working the same hours as before. Singh also told us that some of his workmates who are in a similar situation as him where they are also working on reduced hours, have received the $360 cash assistance and has questioned the rationale behind this.

We contacted the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and the Acting Permanent Secretary for Economy, Shiri Goundar last week for a response. They are yet to respond.

In an earlier press conference, Sayed-Khaiyum had clarified that those people who are engaged formally and are saying they are working one day less are not eligible for this assistance.

Sayed-Khaiyum says this assistance is for those people who are completely unemployed in the formal and informal sector.

Meanwhile, the Government through a statement in August this year had confirmed that individuals whose employment income has not been affected by the pandemic, as well as those who receive other forms of Government assistance, are not eligible for this income support.