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)The package includes wage subsidies under an enhanced Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) for affected sectors, rental relief for commercial properties, as well as a new relief fund for market and hawker centre stallholders, according to the Singaporean Ministry of Finance.
JSS support will be raised to 60 percent for sectors where the tightened measures require them to suspend many, if not all, of their activities. These include food & beverage (F&B) businesses, gyms, fitness studios, performing arts organisations and arts education centres.
Singapore will increase JSS support to 40 percent for sectors that are significantly affected by the restrictions, such as the retail sector, personal care services, tourist attractions, MICE organisers, travel agents, and cinema operators. JSS support for these sectors will taper to 10 percent from August 19 – 31.
The government will provide an additional 4-week rental waiver for qualifying tenants on Government-owned commercial properties, and an additional 2-week rental relief cash payout for qualifying tenants of privately-owned commercial properties under the Rental Support Scheme (RSS).
The government will enhance the COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund while all stallholders of cooked food and market stalls in centres managed by National Environment Agency will receive a one-off cash assistance of 500 SGD per stallholder.
As part of the support package, the COVID-19 Recovery Grant – Temporary will be made available until Aug 31. The grant provides a payout of up to 700 SGD for workers placed on involuntary no-pay leave and up to 500 SGD for workers who have lost a minimum of 50 percent of their incomes for at least one month./.
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