WILLEMSTAD - The number of people who have applied for social support has decreased sharply. This was announced by Secretary-General of the Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW), Etienne van der Horst, during a press conference.
The Ministry of SOAW previously announced that the corona support for residents would be terminated due to the lack of financial resources. After a thorough investigation, the Ministry of Finance was able to release the funds to continue the food aid and salary subsidies until the end of December.
According to Van der Horst, the situation has changed after 18 months of granting aid. In June, 235 people applied for aid. In September, 78 applications were received.
The Council of Ministers has come up with a proposal to phase out the aid. From January there will be no more aid. “We are currently looking at how the project can be completed until the end of the year,” said Minister Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia. Funding until the end of December has now been made available.
In total, the financial assistance has cost the government about seventy million guilders. “It will be very difficult to get such a sum of money again next year,” emphasizes Van der Horst.