Problems with maintenance payment system

Stock image source: pxhere.com
Stock image source: pxhere.com

THE EDITOR: Kindly permit me space in your widely read newspaper to air my views on what I deem a failed system which has been affecting so many single-parent families for months.

This is an open plea to those in authority in this country

Are you aware of the problems facing single parents who collect maintenance? During the pandemic, a system was implemented to help with collection and payment of court-ordered child maintenance. This has been a total failure!

You see, $250 a week might be a pittance for some. But for a single parent it might mean transport money for school, money for medicine, money for school supplies.

So in all fairness, when that $250 is paid I don't think we should have to wait an entire month to get it in our account.

With the old system, payments made on a specific day meant the recipient was able to collect at the court on that very day. With this new system, single parents are waiting months on end for payments to reach their bank account.

It's unfair that parents and their children have to suffer from a failed system which was conceptualised by some genius who clearly did not do any dry run before the system's implementation.

Calling the court staff for information on the maintenance is another exercise in frustration because the attitude you get makes you wonder if these public servants believe they are doing you a huge favour, rather than merely their job.

I would like someone in authority to look into this situation with a view to making collecting of maintenance money much more easier than currently applies. To allow this to continue would be a gross injustice to the people who depend on these payments.

JANICE YEARWOOD

Via e-mail

Comments

"Problems with maintenance payment system"

More in this section