$20,000 payment coming for J’cans not part of any intervention program

Jamaicans 18 years and older, who have not been captured under the Government’s We Care programme, and who are not a part of any social intervention programme such as the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), or the social pension programme for senior citizens, are to benefit from a one-off $20,000 payment in 2025.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement on Sunday as he addressed the 81^st annual conference of the governing Jamaica Labour Party at the national arena.

He boasted that for the first time in Jamaica’s history low income earners are benefitting from a reverse income tax credit of $20,000.

He noted that when payments are made this week, nearly 291,000 Jamaicans would have benefitted so far.

But, the prime minister noted that there are Jamaicans who are not receiving any benefit from the government and stated that it was time to address this group.

He said that come February next year “they will be subject to a needs assessment by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and they will get their $20,000 cheque like everybody else".

He stressed that by registering them, this will ensure that “they remain on our register, that they get identification, that we can place them permanently on PATH, or permanently on the social pension, or permanently as NIS beneficiaries”.

“We are going to ensure that every single Jamaican that is in need of help and assessed to be so gets the help they need from the government,” the prime minister added.