GovPay to handle direct ROOFS Phase 2 payments

The Government is adding an online payment route for Phase 2 of the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) Programme.

GovPay, Jamaica’s official system for accepting payments to government, is available to beneficiaries at https://wipaytoday.com/mlss/beneficiary.

Labour and Social Security Minister Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. announced the update at the Post-Cabinet Press Briefing held at Jamaica House on Wednesday (May 27). He said the payment method will also be opened to some persons from Phase I.

According to the Minister, more than 80 per cent of Phase I beneficiaries have either collected vouchers or completed the steps required to get cash support or building supplies.

He said the Ministry has identified difficulties among verified persons who received text messages but have not yet redeemed their benefits. Those issues, he noted, led to changes in the system and the introduction of a more improved process for completing the payments.

Mr. Charles Jr. said Phase I beneficiaries whose applications are still being handled may go to the website, input their Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN), and see details on the status of their benefits, including where and how they can collect them.

He said the new platform has reduced what had previously been a more demanding process. Artificial intelligence has also been built into the system to help the Ministry complete the remaining 20 per cent of Phase I cases.

The Minister added that some applications could not be verified because the TRN details submitted were wrong or incomplete. These problems included mistakes with names and registration numbers.

He said the Ministry is collaborating directly with Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) to check those TRNs, identify minor errors, correct them, and allow affected applicants to be placed on the verified list so their direct deposit information can be processed.