Govt. to assess service delivery to vulnerable groups

Mar 02, 2021 News

– Fort Wellington and Mahaicony Boards of Guardians installed

Minister Vindhya Persaud and members of the BOG at the Fort Wellington Regional Democratic Council Office.

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will be “critically assessing” how it’s officers interact with vulnerable groups that need assistance in an ongoing effort to improve the quality of services being delivered.
The subject Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, made this disclosure during the installations of the Fort Wellington and Mahaicony Boards of Guardians (BOG) at the Fort Wellington Regional Democratic Council Office on Saturday, February 28, 2021.
In a release, the Ministry revealed that the Board of Guardian is tasked with a number of responsibilities, including reviewing the applications for public assistance in a specific catchment area.
Acknowledging that the Ministry should be “people oriented,” Dr. Persaud underscored the need for compassion and empathy.
“When persons come for public assistance it means they have no other alternative, so we have to learn how to speak with them when they come to us for help. Therefore, the Ministry will be critically at assessing officers’ performance to see how they deal with the public. I make no apology about that because I believe that we need to elevate the manner in which we deliver services to people of this country,” the Minster stated.
Dr. Persaud also encouraged the Ministry’s Probation Officers, members of the Boards and the Region’s Welfare Committee to host sessions with community members “to sensitize them on how public assistance works, the benefits and who benefits.”
Public engagements would also eliminate any miscommunication and speculation of discriminatory practices, the Minister posited.
“So if you have continuous engagements within the communities, persons will have the confidence in you, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political persuasion, and I want to be very clear on this. We need to reach out and help people; help and support should not be tied to any of these things,” she noted.
Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, congratulated the Board members on their appointments, and noted that their roles are critical in executing the Ministry’s vision.
“You are the eyes and ears on the ground. You all have an impact on the lives of the most vulnerable,” she said.
However, she explained that the public assistance concept is not intended to be a permanent fix, rather persons will be taught skills through programmes offered by the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) “where they will be certified and become gainfully employed.”