By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

SOME disengaged Atlantis workers can expect to receive a $500 stimulus payment from the National Insurance Board on Christmas Eve.

According to State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Myles Laroda, as many as 450 people will receive the benefit at an overall cost to the government of about $250,000.

Mr Laroda, who has responsibility for NIB, said the hardships experienced by these people was a major contributing factor in the Davis administration’s decision to approve the payout.

He said the payment was expected to be made no later than noon Friday.

“You all know over the past couple of weeks there has been an issue with some disengaged Atlantis workers; (they) were inquiring as to whether they were going to be receiving the $500 stimulus,” the minister said outside Cabinet yesterday.

“The government has made a decision that they will - notwithstanding that these individuals would have (fallen) outside of the qualifications  - that those stimulus would be paid to those individuals.

“We think that it affects around 400 to 450 people and so they will receive their funds no later than 12 o’clock on Friday.

“Approval has already been sent to the National Insurance Board and the process already has begun to ensure that those affected individuals (are paid) before Christmas.”

Asked what sparked the decision, Mr Laroda said: “The decision was made in consultation with individuals at the National Insurance Board and many calls from those people who are affected.

“A lot of those individuals have not been working from last year, so some of them have been without work for the past year and a half.

“They have been disengaged and so while they were paid their severances the National Insurance Board would have cut them off because once you are paying your contributions you are seen to be working.

“They just got their notices, which meant that the National Insurance Board was paying them for those weeks in advance and so they fell outside the law.”

He continued: “But the reality on the ground was that these individuals have not been working for the past year and half that they were paid. If you were line staff you would have gotten six months’ worth of salary and a lot of that was just eaten up by banks.

“So, it was hardship and the government made a decision that considering the circumstances that they would give these people a good Christmas.”

This comes as the minister said the government was still deciding on the future of the unemployment assistance benefit.

“I would say around $250,000 for those,” he said in response to a question about the overall cost to give stimulus benefits to the former hotel workers.

“Now this would be the stimulus. The government still has to make a decision as to whether we are going to continue with the unemployment assistance benefit that ends on the 31st of this month.”

As for offering recurring stimulus payments to Bahamians, Mr Laroda said a decision, if any, would be based on the realities on the ground.

“I don’t want to preempt. It’s a collective decision. We made the decision to continue what the previous government has done. We looked at the circumstances. You look at Atlantis in particular.

“I read in the newspaper today that they are saying that they have. . .6,000 of their individuals back to work.

“Baha Mar is saying the same thing. So, our decision would be made by the realities on the ground.”

While Atlantis reported 6,000 staff are back at work and the hotel is running at full capacity, the Beach Towers remain closed.