WELFARE EASE

Extra $2 million for department to help less fortunate

 

THE extra $2 million allotted to the Welfare Department in the 2016 Budget by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler, will come in handy in bringing further ease to the less fortunate, through a number of new social care initiatives.
 
Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development, Steven Blackett, recently noted how that money will be spent, when it is eventually disbursed to the Welfare Department. 
 
Blackett explained that the extra funds have been allotted to what has already been budgeted for the Department, to soften the impact of the two per cent National Social Responsibility Levy, which was introduced during the Budget as well. Needy households, clients with HIV and those who need help in paying off arrears, will be amongst those benefitting from the new initiatives.
 
“I instructed the Welfare Department to identify the most vulnerable groups that would be impacted the most by the levy. This is what we have done. We have targeted 800 of the neediest households to receive a food grant of $250 a month for six months, at an expenditure of 1.2 million dollars. Now keep it before you that we are speaking of the two million dollars that we have been given by the Ministry of Finance to ease the impact of the National Social Responsibility Levy,” the Minister noted.
 
“We went further and targeted 100 HIV clients with the same $250 monthly, for the same six-month period, to assist them with their living and this will account for $150 000 of the $2 million,” he added.
 
Noting that there are currently 133 able-bodied adults on the National Assistance Register out of a total of about 4 000 to 4 500 clients who present to the Welfare Department on a monthly basis, he remarked that these persons will also receive aid, since they cannot always find jobs, though they want to.
 
“The Department will therefore identify 700 persons to receive a temporary cash grant of 132 dollars monthly, for six months, at an expenditure of $554 000 out of the two million dollars,” Blackett stated.
 
The remaining $95 600, he said, will be used to cover utility payments – light, water and in some cases gas – for persons presenting to the Ministry for assistance in clearing arrears, in relation to these bills. Blackett explained that whilst this aspect is usually covered by the Poverty Alleviation and Reduction Programme, such a move will allow this programme to use its funds in other critical areas. Blackett explained that the arrears are covered on a one-time basis for persons owing the National Housing Corporation, a private landlord or a utility company, to help persons get back on their feet.
 
“So that is how we intend to spend the $2 million that was identified by the Minister of Finance in the last Budget,”  Blackett concluded. (RSM)

 

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