JCPD working with TAJ to enable more disabled persons to acquire a TRN

The Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) is working with Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) to assist members of the disabled community to acquire their tax registration number (TRN).

Executive Director, JCPD, Dr. Christine Hendricks, told JIS News that the objective is to enable more persons with disabilities to access the one-off grant of $10,000 that is available under the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) COVID Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) programme.

A sum of $40 million has been allocated to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to provide support to the community of persons living with disabilities, to help cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and put them in a better position to recover.

“A number of our persons with disabilities do not have a TRN or birth certificate. Those are some of the challenges that persons may face in applying for the grant. In working with the TAJ, for those who do have birth certificates, we would have requested that they facilitate our clients as best as possible to enable them to get the TRN in as short a time as possible,” Dr. Hendricks noted.

She advised that all persons with disabilities who are registered with the JCPD can apply for the CARE grant. Initially, only persons aged 18 to 65 were eligible.

“All persons are eligible to apply regardless of age… . Persons with disabilities, who were already among the most vulnerable before the advent of the COVID-19, are more vulnerable now. It is important that parents, guardians, caregivers and relatives encourage or assist persons to apply for this grant. It will help to make their lives a little easier,” She pointed out.

Dr. Hendricks told JIS News that the Council is targeting 4,000 persons for the grant.

She noted that the initial application period of July 1 to 28 has been extended to August 31, and the deadline is subject to change depending on the number of applications received.

For further information, persons may contact the JCPD at (876) 968-8373/926-9376 or visit http://jcpdja.com/; the Combined Disabilities Association at (876) 929-1177; or the Ministry of Labour and Social Security parish offices.