Social welfare recipients across the nation expressed their frustrations regarding the late notification and poor communication from the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection about the delay in their August allowance payments.
In Suva, recipients began arriving by 7 a.m. from locations as distant as Vunidawa in Naitasiri and Namosi, expecting to receive their payments to purchase essential food items. In Lautoka, elderly individuals traveled from places like Yasawa since Friday, eagerly waiting for allowances that were due to be disbursed yesterday. Many braved the heat, with some using wheelchairs, hoping the funds would be available by midday.
The allowances were anticipated to be deposited into bank accounts yesterday. At 12:57 p.m., the ministry issued a statement announcing that there would be a delay, attributing the issue to the transition to the government’s new financial year. The ministry acknowledged the significance of these payments for beneficiaries and apologized for the inconvenience, requesting patience and understanding as they worked to process all outstanding payments within the week. They assured recipients that efforts were being made to ensure that everyone would receive their allowances by the end of the business day.
In Suva, 74-year-old Sanimili Baleivunimaqo traveled from Nasevou, Namosi, arriving at 9 a.m., only to discover that her funds had not been transferred. “I was hoping to buy groceries because I live in the highlands and everything is expensive,” she remarked. She shared her struggle of making the trip with her last $20 and returned home with only five dollars.
Manieta Tunivono from Vunidawa also experienced disappointment upon arriving in Suva, as she learned from others about the payment delay. “This is very upsetting for most of us who traveled from far distances. I was looking forward to doing some shopping, but now I can’t return home because of the bus schedule,” she explained.
In Lautoka, 72-year-old Jaoti Tiqe noted that island residents have been waiting since Friday. “We will wait again today. We will be in town until 4 p.m. hoping to receive the money today,” she stated. Another recipient, Manueli Sovau, urged the government not to delay the funds for the elderly, expressing his sadness at seeing older individuals waiting in the sun.
Tomasi Rabuka, president of the Lovu Golden Oldies, who assisted disabled social welfare recipients, mentioned that many traveled from far and had not eaten breakfast that morning. He pointed out that if the payments were delayed again, recipients might need to arrange to stay overnight due to the lack of funds for transportation back home.