Sept. 1, 2007 – The Virgin Islands Department of Human Services Division of Financial Programs will be awarded $148,643 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for being the food stamp division in the nation to have the second lowest reported error rate for fiscal year 2006. A recognition ceremony will be held at 10 a.m., on Friday, Sept. 7, at Government House.
The Division of Financial Programs has been awarded for high performance in the administration of the program dating back to 1996. In August of 2006, the division received the FY 2005 Food Stamp Program High Performance Bonus in the amount of $188,350. In a letter to Gov. John P. deJongh, Nancy Montanez Johner, the under secretary of FNS, explained that the V.I. combined payment error rate for FY 2006 is 1.93 percent, ranking the territory second in the nation for program integrity.
Johner, Yvette Jackson, food and nutrition administrator, and Connie Mikell, chief of food and nutrition program operations, will present the governor, Commissioner Chris E. Finch, Lennox Zamore, financial programs administrator, and his staff with the check.
