The Fiji Council of Social Services is calling on the Government to re-think how it will provide unemployment assistance particularly at this time when people are finding it hard to cope, and alcohol, kava and other substances would be used as coping mechanisms.
Executive Director, Vani Catanasiga says one of the things they have suggested before is for the Government to look at vouchers as a form of assistance instead of cash, particularly ones that can be used to only purchase essential items like food and toiletries.
Catanasiga highlighted this after her on the ground team came back with information that there was an increase in alcohol consumption during the weekend and people were drinking on the roadside right up to Vunidawa in Naitasiri.
She says people who have received their $360 were using their money on alcohol rather than the needs of their families.
Catanasiga stresses the assistance that is rendered by the Government has to take into consideration majority of the needs that an unemployed person will have in his or her family.
The Fiji Council of Social Services is also calling on companies and agencies who are disbursing cash assistance to be fully ready to serve an influx of customers as they have noted that in some instances in Navua, people were only allowed to withdraw $100 from a booth as there was not enough cash. Catanasiga says this is a concern since some recipients are travelling to the highlands and transportation is costly.
Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had earlier said they cannot police people if they are using the $360 government unemployment assistance to buy alcohol.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the assistance is given with the intention that people do not have the same level of income that they used to have before COVID.
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