ICT Authority promotes Gov Payout as a core e-government service
[Kingston, Jamaica] – The ICT Authority recently delivered another core e-government service, Gov Payout. Gov Payout is a web-based disbursement platform that links citizens to government assistance in real-time making it easy for Jamaicans to apply for various categories of benefits while ensuring timely and secure delivery of payouts to eligible citizens.
Gov Payout ensures that disbursements reach the intended recipients by seamlessly integrating with key government databases, such as Tax Administration Jamaica, the PATH Programme, and National Insurance Scheme, to verify applicants’ eligibility. The platform is also designed to adopt to any future social security initiatives that the government may introduce.
It supports the GoJ’s efforts to strengthen its social security protection systems through the efficiently managing disbursements, auditing payouts and being able to increase its social security net based on its scalability.
According to Anika Shuttleworth, CIO of the ICT Authority, scalability was a key design consideration for Gov Payout. She says ensuring that e-government services can handle growing demands and adapt to future needs is critical in enabling the government to adequately support growing populations, especially in areas like social protection. She says digital platforms developed by the ICT Authority, as best practice, integrate with all relevant digital systems and services to promote streamline processes and better decision-making.
In addition to reducing the manual effort currently associated with applying for and disbursing government benefits, the Gov Payout system boasts important security features which are designed to safely store user data.
Individual beneficiaries, microbusinesses or third parties can apply for government assistance via the recently expanded and relaunched platform at payout.gov.jm. The system is capable of disbursing both individual and batch payments which are facilitated through financial institutions such as commercial banks, remittance agencies and payment service providers.
The Solidarity Programme is one of the social assistance programmes that Gov Payout currently facilitates. Its first use case was the government’s CARE programme, the financial assistance program for workers and businesses that were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
