Verification In Progress In St. Elizabeth For Social Pension Programme

Parish Manager for the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in St. Elizabeth, Michelle Senior, says the parish is currently engaged in the application and verification process in the rollout of a new national Social Pension Programme.

Addressing the monthly meeting of the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation in Black River recently, Ms. Senior noted that more than 100 applications have been done, so far, for the programme that targets elderly persons 75 years and older.

“Other persons have also come in, but somehow some are incomplete and we await further documentation and verification of those applications,” she outlined.

Ms. Senior said the initiative is geared towards those elderly persons who are not pensionable and are not in receipt of any other form of retirement income locally or overseas.

“We would prefer to prioritise the persons who don’t have any form of income or support. We would prefer that the programme be taken up by these persons who are in need of that additional support,” she indicated.

“The process is continuous, so there is not a cut-off point. This will be something that is ongoing,” she added.

Ms. Senior pointed out that one of the first criteria is that persons applying must present a birth certificate.

She also noted that benefits are not paid through the post office, but will be done through a remittance agency or deposited to a personal bank account.

“The applicant’s name should be on the account or the payment will not be made to the person,” she advised.

Ms. Senior is encouraging the elderly to make use of the opportunity as part of the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to ensure the welfare of Jamaicans.