Residents In St. Andrew Sign Up For Solidarity Programme

Approximately 500 residents from across St. Andrew have received assistance in signing up for the Government’s Solidarity Programme, which is targeting 50,000 vulnerable Jamaicans for cash grants of $20,000 each.

The residents were engaged during a Solidarity Live Community Engagement session held at the Jamaica Chinese Goodwill Infant School in St. Andrew on Friday (August 29).

Among those who turned out were senior citizens, persons with disabilities, small business owners, informal low-income workers and unemployed youth.

In an address to the attendees, Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, emphasised that the Solidarity Programme is a hallmark initiative for the Government.

“As the country grows and develops, we must ensure that all Jamaicans benefit, no matter how small it is,” he said.

Dr. Holness pointed out that other groups of Jamaicans have benefitted through various give-back initiatives implemented by the Government.

“Some people got an increase in their income tax threshold and so they get a benefit. Some people got what they call the reverse tax credit…if you’re an income taxpayer and you’re up to date with your income tax and registration, they give you back something on your pay if you earn below $3 million, I believe it was. Over 300,000 Jamaicans got back that,” the Prime Minister stated.

Dr. Holness pointed out that the old and indigent, small business owners and unattached youth, who are not in the income tax bracket or registered in a government database did not benefit from these programmes, hence the importance of the solidarity grants.

“The Solidarity Programme is to say that your government stands with you and no matter how little it is, you should get back something…and that is the undertaking of your government,” he assured.

The Prime Minister further emphasised the importance of the grants being distributed in an orderly manner to ensure that only persons who need the benefits and meet the requirements, receive them.

He pointed out that the Solidarity registration process will ensure that needy persons who are not registered with the Government will become a part of the formal system, making it easier for them to receive future benefits.

The Solidarity Programme is being administered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS).

The Ministry has embarked on a series of Solidarity Live Community Engagement sessions across the island to get persons signed up to receive grants under the $1 billion programme.

Sessions have so far been held in St. Mary, Portland and Manchester.

In addition to the Solidarity Liaison Officers who assist with processing applications for the Programme, persons attending the sessions also have access to other government services.

These include Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) for the processing of Taxpayer Registration Numbers (TRNs), the Office of the Registrar-General (ORG) (formerly the Registrar General’s Department) for assistance with birth certificates, the HEART/NSTA Trust for skills programmes and job placements and the Social Intervention Programme (SIP) unit of the MLSS.

In an interview with JIS News, SIP Coordinator Sylvester Anderson noted that two main programmes were on offer to qualified persons at the Solidarity session.

“Through the SIP, the possibility exists for persons to gain employment through the special employment programme. You must be between the ages of 18 and 35 with a minimum of three CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) subjects and you must be Jamaican by birth,” he explained.

Mr. Anderson said the second initiative, the education grants programme, targets persons between the ages of 16 and 55 years.

“Persons who are at the sixth form level and then those who are at the tertiary level, they can receive a grant for their tuition towards their educational pursuits,” he outlined.