Recipients told to collect vouchers on time

Fiji’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation is reminding all welfare recipients to collect their monthly $30 vouchers within 30 days of issue.

The call comes as a total of 1287 voucher books remain uncollected.

Acting Permanent Secretary Dr Josefa Koroivueta says recipients who do not collect their vouchers on time will have their payments ceased from April.

Dr Koroivueta said monthly allowances for the respective recipients would be put on hold pending full verification and funds will be released once cases were reviewed.

“The uncollected food vouchers will mean that while funds are committed, they are not being utilized against the cash flow that the ministry has for this allocation,” he said.

He said for Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) and government pensioners they are required to be re-certified by submitting Pension Renewal Forms on a quarterly basis.

“Similarly, the ministry relies on collection of voucher books every three months as a form of recertification and verification.”

He also said uncollected voucher books will be cancelled and funds diverted to assist more needy clients in their pending list.

By Mereani Gonedua