A batch of 12,265 Jamaicans under the Supporting Employees with Transfer of Cash (SET Cash) programme are to start receiving payments this week.

Financial Secretary Darlene Morrison told members of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee yesterday that the payment to SET Cash beneficiaries would cover the month of April.

She said that the ministry was unable to meet the April deadline for the SET Cash and Best Cash programmes because of a number of issues, including checks to ascertain if applicants had been laid off.

However, she said that in relation to the SET Cash programme, the ministry had not set a deadline for receiving applications at this time.

Responding to queries about delays in one of the programmes, Morrison said that the BEST Cash was advanced with a set of conditions, and the tourism sector has had discussions with the minister, requesting adjustments.