Millions expended in 2012 to support vulnerable citizens

Jan 10, 2013 News

– Human Services Minister

Millions were expended last year by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security as part of its efforts to provide assistance to a number of vulnerable individuals.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Minister Jennifer Webster said that during the course of the past year, more than $2 million was spent to bring relief to several persons who lost their homes to fire.
The Ministry was also able to render support to several underprivileged families who suffered losses as a result of heavy winds during the latter part of last year. This support she valued at some $326,000.
The Ministry, last year, too, doled out in excess of $4 million towards helping persons to meet funeral expenses. According to the Minister “we give a funeral grant to persons who are unable to meet the full cost of funeral expenses of their relatives.”
Some persons with visual challenges were also recipients of financial aid from the Human Services Ministry last year, as according to Minister Webster, both old-aged pensioners and school children were together afforded more than $2.5 million for eye care. Those in need of prosthetic limbs were no exception, since over $1 million was expended in this regard. Added to this, a sum of $562,000 was availed to assist persons who are deaf and those who have difficulty hearing with hearing aids.
Financial aid was directed towards other forms of medical assistance such as CT Scans to the tune of $830,000, Minister Webster disclosed. She also revealed that support was rendered to aid the economic upliftment of some vulnerable individuals. In this regard, a number of small business grants were given in areas such as poultry rearing – $719,000; sewing – $115,000; leather craft and small business in garments – $150,000 and beverages – $90,000. Funds were also made available for cosmetology.
Although funding was made available to bolster their economic standing, Minister Webster said that the Ministry also provided food assistance to some, an undertaking which amounted to some $2 million.
The Ministry also provided housing support to three differently-able persons, who were able to join with Habitat for Humanity to construct homes. A sum of just over $2 million was expended in this regard.
Also last year, the Human Services Ministry dedicated a total of $1.9 million towards transportation for the differently-able, while donations to the elderly and Non-Governmental Organisations translated to approximately $3 million.
Another $1 million was directed towards victims of Trafficking In Persons (TIP), Minister Webster said. The local TIP situation has been one of the major areas that the Ministry has been giving attention during the course of the past year.
According to the Minister during 2012, the Ministry worked with all victims providing them with counselling and other support. Two of the victims were offered additional assistance to enrol in training institutions so as to ensure that they did not return to activities that constitute TIP, Minister Webster said.
“We continue to work throughout our communities. We have been doing a number of training programmes too.”
TIP, she emphasised, is regarded a horrible crime and “I think it is about the world’s second largest (worse) crime after drug trafficking.”
Against this background, she said that the Ministry has in place a Counter TIP Unit, complete with a hotline, to allow for callers to report suspected cases. This operation is backed by a Task Force which works in collaboration with the Ministries of Amerindian Affairs, Natural Resources and Home Affairs. The Minister revealed that the Task Force will soon issue a detailed report on the state of TIP in Guyana.

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Millions expended in 2012 to support vulnerable citizens

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