BEST Cash Programme allocation will provide temporary cash transfers to registered businesses operating within the tourism industry.
Applications are currently invited to the COVID-19 (CARE) Programme Business Employee Support and Transfer of Cash (BEST Cash) allocation. Apply today to take advantage of this limited budgeted CARE Programme by the Government of Jamaica in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Business Employee Support and Transfer of Cash (BEST Cash) allocation will provide temporary cash transfers to registered businesses operating within the tourism industry who are registered with the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) based on the number of workers they keep employed who are at or under the income tax threshold of $1.5 million per annum.
BEST Cash Application Process
Qualified businesses will be able to apply online beginning April 9, 2020 via the www.wecare.gov.jm portal (on a computer or mobile phone). In addition to other necessary data, businesses will be required to provide name, address, Bank account information to facilitate payment, TRN of the business in addition to the number of employees retained who have taxable income less than or equal to $1.5 million.
Eligibility
Businesses will qualify for the COVID-19 BEST Cash allocation if the Business is registered with TPDCO or if the business is registered with the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) as having at least 1 employee.
Additionally, qualified business should have filed payroll returns for April, May, and June evidencing the number of persons employed and verifiable via the submission of a revised S01 form in the RAIS Tax Administration System.
Benefits of the BEST Cash Programme
Businesses who apply and qualify will receive $9,000 per fortnight for each employee retained on their payroll who has taxable income less than or equal to $1.5 million, as confirmed by TAJ. Payments will be made monthly for the months of April, May and June 2020 directly to the business’ bank account.
About the CARE Programme
The CARE Programme is a temporary cash transfer programme to individuals and businesses to cushion the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The CARE Programme represents the Jamaican society coming together to assist those who are most affected by the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and to put us in the best position to recover and to be stronger than we were before the crisis.
The systems (CARE Programme) to deliver a targeted intervention of this scale, in the required timeframe, do not exist and have to be built from scratch. A multidisciplinary team from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, the Accountant General’s Department, Tax Administration Jamaica and eGov Jamaica Limited have been working around the clock to build the required infrastructure.
Call the helpline 888-4WE-CARE
(888-493-2273)
@MOFJamaica
As much as is possible, applications to the CARE Programme will be electronic and the online platform will open on April 9, 2020. In addition, those with questions will be able to call the helpline 888-4WE-CARE (888-493-2273).
The CARE Programme is broad in scope with benefits for a wide range of individuals and businesses who are likely to be affected. In addition, there is a Compassionate Grant that anyone can apply for providing that they are not otherwise benefiting from the CARE Programme.
Even then, it will not be possible for the CARE Programme to reach everyone and the Government cannot do it alone. This is a time where all of us, citizens of Jamaica, need to be our “brother’s and sister’s keeper” Let us pull together, rally around and support each other and show that WE CARE.
