Economist Mally Likukela says Government should release another N$750 emergency grant. He alleges that big companies benefited the most from the initial N$8,1 billion Economic Stimulus Package. The economist says the pandemic curve has been flattened at the cost of 5 700 people losing their jobs. Likukela further says the grants were paid out too early and the real impact of COVID-19 is only becoming clearer today. Former National Council Chairperson Margaret Mensah-Williams says the basic income grant (BIG) should be implemented as a cushion against poverty. Activist Uhuru Dempers says the Government should host an economic conference to fully assess the impact of COVID-19 and come up with relevant policies. National Assembly Speaker Peter Katjavivi says a second tranche of the emergency grant would help the country respond to a re-emergence of the pandemic. They made their contributions on Monday during a virtual discussion on the responsiveness of the mid-term budget to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. The Friedrich Ebert Foundation organised the discussion.