Close to fifty thousand families have been assisted under the Homes CARE initiative.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Social Welfare – Dr. Josefa Koroivueta says they will continue to carry out consultations in the Western Division.
He says they’re currently assisting around 4000 Fijians in Rakiraki.
“Well over 50 million has been spent on the program and that will certainly change from today and around about 48 thousand families have been assisted as well under the Homes CARE.”
Meanwhile the Permanent Secretary is urging Fijians who are ineligible for the assistance to refrain from applying as those found breaching this will be fined as high as $20,000 or face up to 10 years in prison or both.
Dr. Koroivueta notes the amnesty period remains in place for another week and Fijians who had taken the assistance and weren’t eligible for it should use this time to return the M-PAISA cards and all of the items they may have purchased with it.
As of last week, the Permanent Secretary says he’s aware of the return of only 30 M-PAISA cards.
