Huge Backlog! Treasury Under Pressure To Churn Out Stimulus Cheques
Minister for Natural Resources, Labour, Immigration and Social Security Hon. Vincent Wheatley has sought to clarify the reason behind the delay of the stimulus cheques promised by the Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing the topical issue on the Honestly Speaking Radio Programme on Tuesday, November 3, he said there is currently a backlog being experienced due to the number of programmes that the government has running.
“So it is just a backlog of so many cheques: it’s the fishing, it’s the business grants, it’s the farming grants, it’s the 13 members COVID-19 grants, then there are the 13 members monthly cheques and the things that the government does with the businesses and the rest of the Territory,” he remarked.
He added, “There are thousands upon thousands of cheques that are in the system along with the thousands that were there before for the normal payroll, and the normal things that the government do. There is so much printing treasury can do, you cannot work them 24/7.”
While he was explaining further, Hon. Wheatley said because of the abovementioned reason; some will fall through the cracks, unfortunately.
“The system is just slow. There is no perfect system. Every member can tell you this when you are in a district, and you have to wait, six, seven, eight weeks for a cheque to buy food, we have to go in our pockets, every one of us can tell you that our entire paycheque for the month has to be given to persons who have been waiting on some kind of stimulus cheque from somewhere,” he pointed out.
Members of the Opposition have been clamouring for residents to receive their promised financial assistance from the government.
“So it is just a backlog of so many cheques: it’s the fishing, it’s the business grants, it’s the farming grants, it’s the 13 members COVID-19 grants, then there are the 13 members monthly cheques and the things that the government does with the businesses and the rest of the Territory,” he remarked.
He added, “There are thousands upon thousands of cheques that are in the system along with the thousands that were there before for the normal payroll, and the normal things that the government do. There is so much printing treasury can do, you cannot work them 24/7.”
While he was explaining further, Hon. Wheatley said because of the abovementioned reason; some will fall through the cracks, unfortunately.
“The system is just slow. There is no perfect system. Every member can tell you this when you are in a district, and you have to wait, six, seven, eight weeks for a cheque to buy food, we have to go in our pockets, every one of us can tell you that our entire paycheque for the month has to be given to persons who have been waiting on some kind of stimulus cheque from somewhere,” he pointed out.
Members of the Opposition have been clamouring for residents to receive their promised financial assistance from the government.
