Ramjattan seeks more subventions for Salvation Army

May 29, 2017 News

For decades the Salvation Army has been conducting Humanitarian works in Guyana.
The work of the Salvation Army Drug rehabilitation programme was recently commended by Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, who believes that the $10M subvention allocated to the organization by government should be increased.
“But knowing of the work they have been doing I rather suspect we are short changing them and we have to do better than that,” Ramjattan said.
According to Ramjattan, he and President David Granger would want to do much more than that, but in reality, where would the monies come from?
The minister said that giving support to the Salvation Army means a lot to him.
“It’s a big big thing…significant because as an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) it is doing wonderful works. Doing lots for the poor and the homeless but most important the big effort in rehabilitating drug addicts. And that alone contributes a core effort that we really can’t monetize when so many people are administering that centre, doing the counseling, doing the rehabilitation with people who ordinarily would have degenerated into even worse addicts…probably getting into big crimes to probably satisfy their own demands for the drug… they might do wicked things to get the money to buy the drugs,” Minister Ramjattan told Kaieteur News.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

“Yes, the commitment is there and we will try our best to do as much as possible to give more than the $10M.”
The Minister however pointed out that support can be garnered from other activities.
It was Minister Amna Ally who last December announced that government allocated $10M towards the advancement of the work of the Salvation Army in Guyana’s Rehabilitation Programme for 2017.
The Minister had said that together, Government, civil society and the private sector can work together to reduce drug abuse and build stronger, healthier and more prosperous families and communities throughout Guyana.
Minister Ally also spoke on the importance of wider education on the dangers of drug abuse and called on past victims and relatives of those affected to raise awareness among members of at risk populations.
The Salvation Army is an integral part of the Christian Church, although distinctive in government and practice. The Army’s doctrine follows the mainstream of Christian belief and its articles of faith emphasise God’s saving purposes. Its objects are the advancement of the Christian religion of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole.