DOUBLE DIPPERS were paid over $8 million between March and September last year after they accessed both the salary relief and income support grants, the Auditor General found in her report.
According to the report, which covered the period October 2019 to September 2020, over 2,000 people double dipped.
“As part of the audit procedure, the salary relief grant database was joined with the income support database. An analysis of the joined databases revealed that 2,672 persons received both grants which amounted to $8,115,000.00 as at 30th September 2020.”
The Ministry of Finance’s website states those who received salary relief grants were part of the National Insurance Scheme and made contributions.
The income support grants were for those who were not in the system.
Both covered loss of earnings due to the lockdown measures imposed to battle the pandemic.
In May, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said there were 7,000 people who did not access salary relief grants for 2020. He promised stricter regulations this year to ensure there will be no repeating.
Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox said double dippers who are identified will be flagged but not punished.
[caption id="attachment_896209" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox. -[/caption]
In an emailed response to Newsday, Cox said: “The Ministry is ever mindful of the challenges faced by many families during these unprecedented times. Notwithstanding the circumstances that gave rise to the various instances of double dipping during the last phase of covid19 social support, the ministry is not prepared to take any action that will further exacerbate the hardship being experienced by vulnerable families at this time. Notwithstanding, this matter will be addressed when the time is right.”
Among those who double dipped were entertainers who received a one-off payment from the cultural grant of $5,000, according to the report.
The report said 823 artistes and creatives were paid $4,125,000 as at the end of September.
“All applicants were paid $5,000 with the exception of two persons who were paid two payments each. Analysis of the income and support grant database revealed the possibility that 44 persons who were in receipt of the cultural grant were also paid income and food support grants by the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services.
“Audit requested the national ID numbers of these persons from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development to verify if they were indeed the same persons. The information was not provided by the ministry. This could result in an overpayment of $220,000 if the names appear on both databases.”
The report added that detailed analysis was not possible since no proof of membership in an artiste association was presented. There were also no evidence in some cases of sustained cultural activity from 2018 to 2020 and artistes failed to provide information on the cancellation of bookings/events owing to the pandemic. There
