Public frustration with the government is growing in Fiji over delays to social welfare payments for families made vulnerable by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox
Dozens of senior citizens claimed they were made to wait for hours outside their banks last week, for monthly financial assistance.
Many of them had reportedly travelled to Suva from remote areas where some returned empty-handed.
Social welfare minister Mereseini Vuniwaqa said she was aware of the delay and had apologised for the inconvenience.
"We have been engaged intensively on a daily basis. The processing of accounts every month, it's quite a process to get to the bank accounts. So yes, there was a delay. It's unfortunate and we do apologize for that."
Vuniwaqa said the ministry had assisted about 77,000 people through its various schemes.
Ten-thousand of whom needed to submit re-certification applications to continue to receive allowances, Vuniwaqa said.
Earlier, the ministry announced the Australian government had provided $US4.7 million to enable top-ups for the welfare protection programmes.
Vuniwaqa said the top-ups provided additional relief to vulnerable families who were dependent on social welfare due to the pandemic.