People that qualify for the $90 cash payout can text in their details to 161 with residents living within Nadi’s containment zone given the first chance to register.
Set to go live from 9am today, recipients are required to submit, via the texting platform, their full names, Fiji National Provident Fund details (if any), occupation, home address and the number of people in their households.
Recipients can redeem the cash either via Vodafone’s MPaisa service or Digicel’s My Cash wallet, depending on their mobile network provider. Recipients who would prefer payment via bank are also required to submit their banking details including the bank they do business with.
Nadi Zone encompasses the area stretching from Momi Bay up to Lomolomo. The assistance will be opened to residents of Lautoka from tomorrow, and subsequently Lami, Suva, Nasinu and Nausori.
Acting Permanent Secretary Shiri Goundar reminded eligible recipients to make sure their details are correct before they send it through. He also reminded recipients of the wisdom of using the texting platform to submit their details as opposed to calling in via 161.
“Also request that applications are sent to 161 so that we can accurately capture their information. Applications received through SMS will have a faster turnaround time for payment,” he said.
Beneficiaries are also reminded that each household is restricted to one application each and that their data will be verified before any payment is made to guard against opportunist looking to exploit the system.
The verification exercise will also involve cross-checking with the Fiji National Provident Fund to determine whether or not the household or a member of the household is a recipient of the superannuation fund’s unemployment scheme, and whether the applicant resides in the target zone.
