House Member calls on Direct Deposit for Approved Stimulus Recipients

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, August 4, 2022 – At least one politician is calling for the TCI Government to send stimulus cheques directly to accounts of those approved for the free money, rather than requiring residents to collect physical copies.

Willin Belliard, Governor’s Appointed Member made the suggestion in the House of Assembly in the Tuesday July 26, 2022 sitting of parliament.

“I want to ask the minister of finance and his team if it’s possible to consider direct deposits of the stimulus if only to civil servants.”

Belliard said that this would reduce the long lines at the Treasury which have become characteristic of stimulus payouts.  He stressed that it would be an infinitely worse experience given the scorching hot conditions and high humidity of this summer.

“It would go a long way in relieving the lines especially in this heat. We are facing 98°C and we don’t want any casualties arising from this heat— for what will be a good thing to turn ugly for some persons.”

In February lines at the Treasury were staggering, wrapping around the building even worse were the long wait times for cheques.  Some Islanders reported that after waiting hours in line they were either told their cheques were not ready or to come back tomorrow.

1. E. Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister had promised that the government would not give out a mass payment this way again, saying that he was already addressing the issue as a priority.  However there was no commitment by the Finance Minister on improvements on the distribution process.

As it stands, residents were on August 3 advised they would have to collect their Inflation Stimulus Cheques at the Treasury in person; distribution for some 13,000 residents begins on Wednesday August 10.