By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE Ministry of Social Development and Family Services will be focusing on assisting the most vulnerable in society in an attempt to wean them off government’s financial dependency.
This was stated by Social Development Minister Donna Cox in her Budget presentation in the Senate on Tuesday who also said many recipients of grants were residing abroad.
Although her presentation had a brief interruption due to a leaking roof, she continued on with the layout of Government’s plans for fiscal 2022 which includes the thorough investigation of cheques being inappropriately cashed.
She said more focus was also being placed on identifying those who in need of support and the ministry will be working closely with non-government organisations, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, other ministries, agencies and private entities, to fulfil the needs of the vulnerable.
Cox said, “We are also laying the groundwork for their future prosperity so that they will become resilient and will be able to ‘stand on their own two feet’. To do this, we must gently but steadily wean them off Government assistance, each according to his capacity, helping them to become stronger, more independent and more dignified.
“We know that for some persons, their current circumstances are temporary. They are going through a ‘bad patch’ or a ‘bad season’ because they lost their job or became ill, or the breadwinner of the family passed away, but they will bounce back, with some help. These require some funding and psychosocial support to get back on their feet. These are the persons that the Ministry has been assisting over the past fiscal year.”
The Sowing Empowerment through Entrepreneurial Development (SEED) programme was one of the measures in to assist in that transition, the minister said.
The SEED programme allows persons a provision of up to $15,000 in goods/equipment to establish or expand their micro business as well as a training grant of $7,500.
She also listed other programmes already assisting with that goal.
Fraudulent cashing of cheques.
Cox said, “Within the last 12 months there has been a 241% increase in the number of reports to the TTPS, with the majority of cases, 151% involving senior citizens’ pension. For the year 2020, 68 such cases have already engaged the attention of the TTPS. As recently as August 2021, cheques were issued to 1,955 persons who were confirmed dead. Some of the disability and pension cheques belonging to those 1,955 individuals are being cashed, the most significant, 81 percent, being Senior Citizens’ Pension cheques.”
She continued, “A further 3,902 grants were identified for investigation. This represents a marked increase in fraudulent activities across all grants. I can advise that 165 cases are already under review by the fraud squad. A large number of these grant recipients are residing abroad and are therefore ineligible for support from the State.”
She is hoping that soon a Unit will be functional to mor efficiently deal with such discrepancies and direct payments were also being streamlined to avoid “lost” cheques being cashed at supermarkets.
Covid-19 relief.
Cox said in phase one of the Covid-19 relief, the government spent $347 million to provide support for 178,000 individuals and families who required food, rental and income support.
In giving an update for Phase 2 that began in June, she said a total of 1,158 applicants were approved and paid as of September 30, 2021 at a cost of just over three million dollars.
Additionally, 81,000 hampers and food vouchers were distributed.
No grants reduced
Cox said that in spite of the global economic struggle of the pandemic, government did not reduce the social grants and provided information up to September 30 on persons receiving grants and the total cost.
The Food Card or Debit Card provided support to 31,547 persons at a cost of $173,551,740.
The General Assistance Grants helped 1,057 persons with household items valued at $5,429,184.36.
Rental Assistance was at a value of $407,150.
The Public Assistance Grant provided aid to 18,938 persons who benefitted from grants amounting to $335,692,321.
The Senior Citizens Pension was provided for 109,004 persons at a cost of $353,296,000.
Disability Assistance Grant was given to 22,933 persons at a combined value of $575,223,930.
And under the National Social Development Programme, for fiscal 2021, $969,000.00 was distributed to 61 families to complete minor house repairs including sanitary plumbing and house wiring.
