The identification and selection of beneficiaries for the COVID-19 Response Social Cash Transfers Programme has been finalised. Existing Public Assistance Programme beneficiaries and an additional 1,250 eligible individuals and their families have been selected to receive assistance through cash transfers for two months. All selected beneficiaries have been informed and the programme is now closed.

Below you will find a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to help you understand the programme and how to best contact us.

The Social Cash Transfers Programme is one of the programmes launched by the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide temporary income support to selected vulnerable individuals and families to address their basic needs including food, health, education and other necessities. Groups targeted for potential support through this programme are:

1. Existing beneficiaries of the Public Assistance Programme (PAP)
2. Eligible senior citizens and persons with disabilities who are not registered on the PAP and are not receiving other types of financial support
3. Eligible fisherfolks and fish vendors and small craft producers and vendors

The programme is led by the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, Youth at Risk, Gender Affairs, Seniors Security and Dominicans with Disabilities in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and it is made possible thanks to the generous support of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and WFP.

A digital registration process through an application form was carried out between the 14-25 September 2020. With the support of Village Councils, enumerators were deployed to 45 locations/registration points throughout the country to interview applicants face-to-face and to collect information on tablets and phones. Telephone and online registrations were also rolled out to collect information remotely using a digital application form. In several cases, home visits were also carried out to interview those unable to access the registration points.

A communication campaign was launched a week before the beginning of the registration, which continued for two weeks. A press event, articles, radio broadcasts and talk shows, SMS, posters/flyers, social media and sensitisation through the Ministry of Youth, Village Councils and their partners were carried out to ensure a wide outreach to citizens.

Based on the information provided by the applicant during the registration, a selection, verification and prioritisation process was carried out. Eligibility criteria included employment sector and status before and after COVID-19 lockdowns, quarantines and curfews; whether the applicant received other types of financial support; family composition, total income and existing vulnerabilities (e.g. gender, social status, disability and age) were all used to screen and prioritise applicants. Existing PAP beneficiaries did not go through a selection process and were automatically included in the Social Cash Transfers programme.

Selected beneficiaries were informed through their preferred mode of contact indicated at the time of registration. This included phone calls, SMS, WhatsApp, email or through an alternate contact. Non-selected beneficiaries were also informed through a general messaging campaign carried out through radio and SMS.

The selection process was based on the careful analysis of the information received by the applicant at the time of registration. It took into consideration the categories prioritised for this programme and the eligibility criteria previously described. It included a verification process carried out through an authority/official nominated by the applicant at the time of registration. It also took into consideration the maximum number of individuals and families that could be included into the programme due to available resources.

Some of the reasons why you may not have been selected include one or more of the following:

• You did not meet the eligibility criteria
• The verification process of your application was not successful
• You are already receiving assistance through other government’s income support or social assistance programmes
• Priority was given to other applicants whose income status, family composition, lack of other sources of financial support and existing vulnerabilities (e.g. gender, social status, disability and age) warranted their prioritisation to receive assistance through this programme

Existing beneficiaries will receive two top-ups of EC 225 each, over the course of two months, for a total value of EC 450. The top-ups will be given on the same day and through the same payment channels of the regular delivery of PAP benefits (e.g. bank transfers, cheques or cash).

Other selected beneficiaries will receive two payments of EC 450 each, over the course of two months, for a total value of EC 900. Benefits will be disbursed based on the payment method selected at the time of registration. Bank payments will be done by direct bank transfer, cash and cheques will be issued and processed with the support of Village Councils who are also responsible for disbursing PAP payments. Selected beneficiaries will be able to nominate an alternate person to redeem the benefits on their behalf.

Where possible, non-selected applicants will be referred to other ministries and programmes for potential support if eligible. These include the 70 and Over Allowance managed by the Ministry of Finance, the National Employment Programme, COVID-19 response programmes managed by Social Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and other government-led initiatives.

Should you have any queries, complaints or feedback or request further information on the COVID-19 Response: Social Cash Transfers Programme, you can:

Email us at: dominica.covid19.cashtransfers@gmail.com

Call, WhatsApp or send a text message to: Tel. 612 9010, Tel. 612 8509

Visit the Ministry of Youth Development offices in Roseau

Visit your local Village Council