Individuals with disabilities or their verified caregivers have been added to the listing of beneficiaries below the Nationwide Water Fee (NWC) Amnesty Programme.
Eligible individuals should be registered with the Jamaica Council for Individuals with Disabilities (JCPD).
The amnesty is for patrons who’ve been disconnected for money owed to the NWC for 2 years or extra, who’re pensioners or who’re assessed as being in want based mostly on the Programme of Development By means of Well being and Training (PATH) beneficiary identification requirements.
The three-month amnesty was introduced in November of final yr and got here into impact on January 2, 2025.
Minister of Labour and Social Safety, Honorable Pearnel Charles Jr. stated the Authorities stays dedicated to making sure that each citizen, and particularly of the nation’s most weak teams, is supplied with the entry to important companies that promote their well-being and dignity.
“The amnesty in its present kind permits eligible NWC prospects… to have their money owed written off partially or in full. We’re very joyful to see pensioners and people on PATH, [and] we now have individuals with disabilities being embraced by the amnesty to obtain full profit,” he stated.
The Minister was talking at a post-Cupboard press briefing held at Jamaica Home on Wednesday (February 26).
Charles Jr. knowledgeable that the JCPD has a database of roughly 50,000 people however simply over 17,000 individuals are totally registered as members.
He stated of the 17,000, roughly 12,925 are over 18 and may benefit from the amnesty.
“Our goal is to determine a particular criterion with the Nationwide Water Fee’s water amnesty programme to supply aid to individuals with disabilities or their verified caregivers, thereby making certain that they’ll profit totally from this amnesty,” he stated.
He famous that this motion aligns with Jamaica’s dedication to the Conference on the Rights of Individuals with Disabilities, significantly article three and 28 which emphasise the rights of individuals with disabilities to an satisfactory way of life, which incorporates entry to wash water surfaces and social safety with out discrimination.
“This precept guides our dedication to make sure that individuals with disabilities aren’t left behind. The amnesty would additionally present for the caregivers,” he stated.
Part 2 (1) of the Disabilities Act defines a caregiver as a mother or father, a authorized guardian or some other particular person answerable for caring for the well being, monetary, bodily, safety and basic well-being of an individual with incapacity.
In the meantime, Minister with out Portfolio within the Ministry of Financial Development and Job Creation, Honorable Matthew Samuda, stated the board of the Fee has given its full approval and assist for the enlargement.
“The first beneficiaries are pensioners and people on PATH. We now have additionally prolonged the beneficiary listing to those that try to switch titles from individuals who would have died, who left explicit measurement payments, to facilitate industrial transactions,” he stated.
He identified that the programme could also be prolonged to facilitate the group to completely profit from the initiative.
“We’re joyful to associate… . Ought to the necessity come up once we see what the suggestions is from the group, we’ll ponder extension for the disabled group to provide them satisfactory time to interact the Water Fee on this programme,” Minister Samuda stated.
He additionally urged individuals to name forward and make appointments, thereby lowering their ready instances.
By means of the amnesty, individuals owing the NWC for greater than six months can profit from a 50 per cent write-off on their balances.
– JIS
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