Smart Cards for groceries from today

Forty-nine food items can be purchased including chicken parts, canned tuna, rice, potatoes, milk, juice, sugar, oil, toothpaste and baby food. Families with three members and less will receive a cash credit of $300 monthly, families with up to five members will receive $400 monthly while those with six or more will get $500 monthly.

In keeping with the Emancipation theme, Minister of Social Development, Anthony Roberts said the programme will provide food for needy persons and “liberate some members of our society from the jaws of poverty.”

Addressing the launch of the “TT Card Conditional Cash Transfer Programme” at Crowne Plaza yesterday, Roberts warned that any attempt to abuse the new system would not be tolerated.

He said any attempt to purchase alcohol or tobacco would be immediately investigated and if verified, participation in the programme would be terminated. Roberts added, “Any supermarket or grocery store that attempts to facilitate the purchase of alcohol or tobacco with the TT Card will be eliminated from the programme.”

He said mechanisms were in place for aggressive monitoring of both grocery stores and card holders, and monthly reports detailing all card transactions will be forwarded to the Ministry by First Citizens Bank to the ConditionalCash Transfer Secretariat. Roberts said unscheduled spot checks will also be done at supermarkets. He appealed to supermarket owners to ensure their staff were up to date with the regulations of the programme and for participants not to disclose their personal identification number.

The recipients of the TT Card were previously recipients of hampers valued at $250 under the SHARE (Social Help and Rehabilitative Efforts) programme. Outlining the benefits of the debit card, Roberts said families will receive a wider variety of foods which encouraged healthy eating. He said the food items were approved by the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute. Roberts said the SHARE programme helped people but created feelings of uneasiness and shame. In contrast, he said, “the cardholder can shop according to his own needs and preferences.”

Roberts said the programme will reward good planning and discretion since money left over can roll over to the following month.

He said the card programme was not a quick fix but had built-in sustainability since participants must commit to training and participation in workshops to improve their employment opportunities. Roberts said the “dependency syndrome” would be discouraged. Apart from food, Roberts said other uses for the Smart Card are being explored. He said, “I am advised that on this one TT Card we can have applications for CDAP of the Ministry of Health, as well as the many grants being administered by the Ministry of Social Development.”

Roberts said participants will not be allowed to remain in the programme for more than two years. He said only very special circumstances (old age, severe medical conditions) would receive extensions. Heeranand Maharaj, Supermarkets Association president, said the initiative was welcomed.