NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The National Insurance Board has paid out some $5.34 million over more than 11,000 unemployment benefit claims amid the COVID-19 crisis, according to NIB director Dr Nicola Virgill-Rolle.
Dr Rolle also confirmed that under the government’s unemployment benefit assistance program which was recently extended to self employed persons outside of the tourism sector, over 2,100 claims have been approved at $816,000.
The initial relief program covered sole proprietors and agents without employees who earn most of their income in the tourism sector, namely straw vendors, hair braiders, taxi drivers and jet ski operators.
Minister of State for the Public Service and NIB Brensil Rolle told Parliament earlier this week that the National Insurance Board (NIB) was bracing for a ‘major draw down’ on it resources to the tune of at least an additional $16 million per month amid the COVID-19 crisis.
He noted that funding to provide unemployment assistance to thousands of Bahamians has exceeded budgeted expenditures. Minister Rolle noted that NIB currently processes between 6,000-7,000 unemployment benefit applications in a year.
Our government dont make no sense.everywhere in the world except here.they bin spending our contributions now look,cant eevn pay all the people there money.smh.canad jamaica n yhe states taking care there people even if they never had a job.you guys want lockdown without helping tge people,we would die before tge disease coukd kill us off of hunger alone.
So what happens to the rest of us who didn’t get there unemployment benefits we still waiting
What about some people who don’t have a job at the time of thelockdown are they entitled for unemployment.benifits speaking for my son
I agree. People are on lock down with no food or enough water to last those days and with kids at home. For a small country, with it proximity so close to the USA. We pay national insurance, VAT on everything and customs Duty. They take a lot from us cost of living is so high people live week for week.
Minimum wage so low. All this moneys they collect why for God sake why we can’t take care of are people.
I applied for unemployment from the first day it opened to the public and haven’t received anything as yet…how is that my nib is up to date..
Its ridiculous. NIB is not efficient on a regular basis and they truly aren’t now .
Now its the time to end the corrupt weed board and stop action like there is no data. Holland had weed legal for over 5 decades and is one of the most prosperous nations in the world. Legalize weed do something for the people instead of your own cult pockets for a change.