Singapore offers 808 mln-USD support package to aid COVID-19-hit businesses, workers
The Government of Singapore will provide a support package worth 1.1 billion SGD, or over 808 million USD, to help businesses and workers impacted by the country’s “Heightened Alert” restrictions put in place from July 22 – August 18.
People queue to buy food as takeaway orders, as tables and chairs are cordoned off to prevent people from dining at a hawker centre in Singapore in May. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Singapore (VNA) – TheGovernment of Singapore will provide a support package worth 1.1 billion SGD,or over 808 million USD, to help businesses and workers impacted by the country’s“Heightened Alert” restrictions put in place from July 22 – August 18.
The package includes wagesubsidies under an enhanced Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) for affected sectors,rental relief for commercial properties, as well as a new relief fund formarket and hawker centre stallholders, according to the Singaporean Ministry ofFinance.
JSS support will be raisedto 60 percent for sectors where the tightened measures require them to suspendmany, if not all, of their activities. These include food & beverage(F&B) businesses, gyms, fitness studios, performing arts organisations andarts education centres.
Singapore will increase JSSsupport to 40 percent for sectors that are significantly affected by therestrictions, such as the retail sector, personal care services, touristattractions, MICE organisers, travel agents, and cinema operators. JSS supportfor these sectors will taper to 10 percent from August 19 – 31.
The government will providean additional 4-week rental waiver for qualifying tenants on Government-ownedcommercial properties, and an additional 2-week rental relief cash payout forqualifying tenants of privately-owned commercial properties under the RentalSupport Scheme (RSS).
The government will enhancethe COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund while all stallholders of cooked food and marketstalls in centres managed by National Environment Agency will receive a one-offcash assistance of 500 SGD per stallholder.
As part of the supportpackage, the COVID-19 Recovery Grant – Temporary will be made available untilAug 31. The grant provides a payout of up to 700 SGD for workers placed oninvoluntary no-pay leave and up to 500 SGD for workers who have lost a minimumof 50 percent of their incomes for at least one month./.
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People queue to buy food as takeaway orders, as tables and chairs are cordoned off to prevent people from dining at a hawker centre in Singapore in May. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
