By George Psyllides
Parties on Friday censured the government for apparently delaying the transfer of funds needed to pay the guaranteed minimum income (GMI) and other allowances on time, leaving some recipients without cash through the Easter holiday.
Funds were meant to be deposited on Thursday but it appears not all the recipients could access them because it was too late in the day. The money was credited to the recipients’ accounts but only those with cards could collect their money through ATMs.
Banks were closed on Friday for the Easter holiday and would not open until Wednesday.
The number of those affected was not immediately known.
The Cyprus Mail has learned that Bank of Cyprus received the first clearance at 1.40pm on Thursday, and the second one at 4.40pm.
The money was made available to recipients on Thursday evening and Friday through ATMS for those who had cash cards.
Co-operative banks received the funds at 11.45am on Thursday. By that time a lot of people had already visited branches to collect their money and were frustrated when told to come back later.
“We encouraged people to come later because money was not there yet,” a co-op bank source said.
The source said a lot of people went in between 12pm and 1.30pm – closing time – to collect their money.
Delays were also seen at Hellenic Bank.
DIKO slammed the government, saying the situation made a mockery of recipients, who needed the money.
The delay also gave main opposition AKEL, a fierce opponent of GMI, to slam the government.
AKEL said the administration was incapable of governing or had no consideration whatsoever about the vulnerable groups of the population.
“The delay in paying the GMI forces the recipients to continue to go through the torment of poverty through the passion week (holy week) and the resurrection,” AKEL MP Andreas Fakontis said.
The Green party expressed outrage at the manner GMI recipients had been treated
“(The labour ministry) has once more failed to fulfil its role and pledges,” the party said. “Unfortunately, there were delays in the payment of other allowances that concern people who are state aid recipients.”
In a statement on Friday, the Labour ministry said it had issued instructions for payment to the Central Bank on Wednesday morning, but an unforeseen glitch in computer systems caused an unpredictable delay.
“The GMI was scheduled for payment mid-month, as normal,” the ministry said.
“Due to the Easter holidays, the ministry decided to expedite procedures and ensure payment by Thursday, April 9. To this end, payment instructions were forwarded to the Central Bank on the morning of Wednesday, April 8, and payments should have cleared by Thursday.”
“Unfortunately, it seems that a problem in payment transfer connections to banks delayed the process.”
Nonetheless, the labour ministry said that most beneficiaries should not face problems.
“GMI recipients at co-ops do not appear to have faced any issues,” the statement said.
“Those with accounts at commercial banks could not withdraw money until 1.30 pm […] but the banks have estimated that the great majority of GMI recipients are card holders.”
