The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection is considering giving cash instead of topping up the e-transport cards of those under the busfare scheme as the Minister, Lynda Tabuya says a good number of pensioners and people with disabilities cannot access buses.
Tabuya says the Poverty Monitoring Unit following a review of the bus fare program has recommended that they consider converting the bus fare top-up into cash and the Ministry will be proposing this as part of their budget submissions.
Tabuya has also clarified that the cards will be topped up to $25 each month where those on the scheme will have $25 at the beginning of each month and not get another $25 on top of what they already have.
She further says the Poverty Monitoring Unit has also found that the majority of the recipients who are collecting the amount are not using it with the money the government expending going unused.
The Minister says they have also found out that other family members apart from the elderly and the disabled are using their cards.
She adds they are already giving cash instead of food vouchers to allow the recipients to buy food from where they prefer and also buy fruits and vegetables from the market.
Meanwhile, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Eseta Nadakuitavuki says they are in discussion with Vodafone and bus operators to have the process to redeem the card removed.
She explains the card will be ready to be used once it is topped up without needing the elderly or the disabled person to get it redeemed.
