P.S.W.T.’s Process for Accessing Food Assistance

Philip Castillo

There are over seven thousand beneficiaries of the P.S.W.T.’s food assistance program and Doctor Philip Castillo says that already the office is being contacted by the membership on how they can access the support in areas across the country. Doctor Castillo breaks down the procedure.

Dr. Philip Castillo, Public Sector Workers Trust

“The procedure for accessing is that one, you call our office and our office will ascertain that you are a beneficiary and then send you a form. If you are in Belize City, you can actually visit the office and get the form. This form is in triplicate.  With this form, you visit the supermarket of your choice; in Belize City we have MOUs with Publics Supermarkets, we have MOUs with the SanCas Group – that’s with Bottom Dalla and Save U. So then, you are now entitled to one hundred and fifty dollars worth of goods – well food stuff and groceries – and then the store, because the form is in triplicate, the store will keep two copies of the form. And then when they stamp one copy and send that back to us at the trust, we then make payments. So what we are doing then is a paper trail so that our auditors can follow. As is now, we have not yet signed MOUs with supermarkets countrywide; we are negotiating with providers in Corozal. We hope to get contact information for providers in Punta Gorda. So the aim is that you access the project in your district location which makes it easier for the beneficiary.”