Tourism industry workers made unemployed by the coronavirus pandemic will be receiving payments from a $1.21 million rescue package by the Samoa Government.
Government forecasts have put the number of people who have lost their jobs since international arrivals to Samoa ground to a halt at 3000.
Those eligible for the benefits include workers at hotels, car rental services nightclubs and bars, businesses around the airport (not including taxis) and certain manufacturing companies.
The Samoa Observer says this is according to a Cabinet Directive dated September 23, 2020 that was endorsed by the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Chief Executive Agafili Shem Leo who is also Secretary to Cabinet.
“Staff that were made redundant will each receive $300; those placed on leave without pay will get $200 and employees with reduced hours or working part-time will receive $100,” the directive reads.
The money will be drawn from phase II of the Government’s coronavirus stimulus package.
Assistance was promised to unemployed tourism sector workers in the form of a subsidy as part of the $66 million in financial assistance measures.
The Cabinet Directive breaks down the financial assistance for those employees affected as a result of the COVID19.
But the Government never unveiled what these plans would amount to, promising to consult with the Chamber of Commerce to develop a package.
This is the first time that the details of the Government’s unemployment subsidy have been revealed.
According to the Cabinet directive, the unemployment subsidy is drawn from a total pool of $2 million of which $880,000 will go to former employees of tourism operators; $253,000 for ex-manufacturers; $64,196 will go to cover finance costs for the [Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry] and $20,000 for Ministry of Finance administrative expenses.
