People applying for poor relief payments are waiting long periods for their application to be determined because of the time it takes banks to return financial checks.
Department of Children and Family Services Director Deanna Look Loy said her department tries to process poor relief applications within six weeks but rarely can because banks take a long time to return necessary financial information.
‘The banks take an inordinate amount of time to send them back,’ she said Tuesday.
‘Our staff have to do a lot of follow ups to get (the information) out of there. That’s the main hold up with the process.’
Opposition MLA Rolston Anglin raised the issue during a Finance Committee session in the Legislative Assembly on 28 May.
Health Minister Anthony Eden assured Mr. Anglin that he would take the issue up with the banks.
Under an agreement reached between Mr. Eden and the banks, poor relief applicants do not have to pay the usual charge for financial checks.
Mrs. Look Loy said waiving the nominal fee had been a generous gesture; she just wishes the process could be expedited.
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