Why $360  

The logic behind the $360 cash unemployment assistance is to support the livelihoods of Fijians affected by COVID-19 both in the formal and in the informal sector.

This was the sentiment by Acting Permanent Secretary for Economy Shiri Gounder.

“We have provided this assis­tance to help Fijians buy food and grocries, pay for their electricity and water bills, support families with their house rent payments, hire purchase payments and buy any other essential items for them­selves or their families.

“The application and disburse­ment of this cash assistance were done through Vodafone Fiji and Digicel’s digital application plat­form as it is more efficient and logistically convenient under the current restrictive circumstance,” he said.

“Distributing food vouchers would have not only been a logis­tical nightmare but would have greatly restricted options for Fiji­ans on where and how they could use their government assistance. Also, it would have been admin­istratively challenging to have vouchers for rental or bill pay­ment. It would have been just too inconvenient for both Government and for Fijians.

“As the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy has already stated, Government will not dictate how Fijians will use this money. It is for the individuals or for fami­lies to decide where and how they should spend their money. During these challenging times we trust that Fijians will use this money wisely.”

So far Government has paid over $88.2 million to more than 250,000 Fijians.

“Apart from the cash assistance we have so far also provided over 53,000 food and household packs to those Fijians in isolation and in quarantine.”

Mr Gounder said this assistance too will continue. Those in quaran­tine and isolation were also eligi­ble for the $360 payment. A second round of pay-out will be done in November, which the Ministry of Economy hopes to vet and release before Diwali which falls on No­vember 4.