Human Services Ministry has critical role to play in shaping Guyana’s success with oil 

Oct 09, 2022 News

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Social Edge

By Kiana Wilburg 

Kaieteur News – There are thousands of individuals who have won the lottery at some point in their life, but due to mismanagement, have nothing to show for it today.

On a global scale, many countries are known for being blessed with significant natural resources worth trillions of dollars yet their citizens are wallowing in abject poverty.

The clear trend in both cases is that winning the lottery doesn’t mean you’re set for life. How you manage that new found wealth is what makes all the difference.

This very point was underscored by international experts who attended the recently concluded Guyana Basins Summit (GBS). Iman Hill, Head of the Oil and Gas Producers Association was keen to remind of the importance Guyana must place on prudent management of its oil resources for the benefit “of all Guyanese.”

On this premise, I advance the argument that the work of several ministries will determine in the years to come, Guyana’s success in translating its oil production into meaningful development.

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security led by Dr. Vindhya Persaud is one agency that will be exceptionally important to the process. Minister Persaud has a golden opportunity to channel a portion of the oil funds into programmes that will touch the lives of men, women and children. She also has the power to lead initiatives that can improve the lives of vulnerable groups.

A precursory examination of her ministry’s accomplishments at half year, signals that she is already heading in the direction of fulfilling the foregoing objectives.

According to the Finance Ministry’s Semi-Annual Report, Dr. Persaud’s ministry continued with efforts to improve the well-being of senior citizens. Old age pensioners for example, benefited from an increased monthly pension of $28,000. Last week, the government also announced the distribution of a one-off grant to pensioners also totalling $28,000 before the end of the year.

Looking ahead, the Human Services Ministry said it intends to train persons to care for the elderly. This is intended to commence in the second half of the year.

Also at mid-year, the implementation of the ministry’s initiatives for women and men’s empowerment gained momentum, particularly in the development of employable skills for the job market. In fact, a total of 1,277 persons graduated with a skill in the first half of 2022 through the WIIN Business Clinic (WIIN in Business) and the Board of Industrial Training, of which 980 were women and 297 were men. These courses included Child Care, Care for the Elderly, Garment Construction, Home Management and Patient Care Level 2. Another 5,657 applications are being processed for the skills training scheduled to commence before year end.

Importantly, the ministry’s public assistance also increased by 14.3 percent from $12,000 to $14,000 per month effective March 2022 and approximately 16,500 persons benefitted in the first half of 2022, at a cost of $1.4 billion.

In addition, the ministry’s legal aid service continued to make progress as it aimed to reach more eligible persons in 2022, with a total of 1,330 cases facilitated in the first half. At the end of the first half of 2022, 174 alleged Trafficking-In-Persons victims were assisted with shelter, food, clothing psychological counselling, among others.

In May, the government had announced a cash grant of $100,000 for each child with a disability as part of its commitment to support families of children with disability. This adds to progress made on the implementation of the interventions for the empowerment of persons with disabilities. In this regard, the survey to record all persons living with disabilities was completed in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 and a hotline was set up to capture information on identified persons with disability, in order to expedite the recording of their data.

Additionally, the ministry has been successful in establishing a national classroom for autistic children with classes set to commence in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Waterfalls understands that there were 101 children identified for Special Education Needs (SEN) services through the continued assessment of the schools in Regions 1, 4 and 9. This will bring the total number of children receiving SEN services to 192. In addition, 706 persons commenced training in various areas to enhance SEN services.

With effect from the third quarter of 2022, the ministry has said that its Public Assistance programme will be extended to benefit eligible persons living with disabilities. Further, by the end of 2022, 239 persons living with disabilities are expected to be trained in the employable skills, of which 39 were trained in the first half of 2022.

The government was also keen to note that the construction of the Mahaica Disability Complex is scheduled to be completed this year while the construction of the Care Centre at Mahaica and a Production and Retail Centre at Canje, for persons with disabilities will commence later this year. The latter will be the first of several such centres across the country.

Additionally, in the first half of 2022, the ministry reported that the Child-Care and Protection Agency spent $333.5 million of the allocated $955.4 million. Focus was placed on the improvement of the operations of care facilities providing child-care services and at mid-year 2022, 88.6 percent (311) of the facilities providing child-care services were operating with minimum standards, compared with 68 percent (241) at the end of 2021. In the second half of 2022, 60 day-care facilities will receive a $50,000 subsidy to improve their services for compliance with the required minimum standards.

Further, 444 essential workers are earmarked to benefit again from financial support of $15,000 per month, per child for day-care service for three months, payable directly to the day-care facilities. Additionally, Government would be launching a ‘night care’ programme for children to be in a safe space whilst their parents or guardians are at work. The ministry has said as well that 1,100 persons will commence training in child-care services in the second half of the year.

In addition, the ministry said it continues to focus on the reunification and reintegration of children from formal care, both institutional and foster care. The mandate here is to provide a family for every child that needs one. To complement this programme, 56 parents received capacity building for improved parenting skills in the first half of 2022, while in the second half, 90 parents are expected to benefit. Thus far, 47 percent of children affected by child abuse who were placed in formal care (institutional and foster care) were reunified and reintegrated with families.

The foregoing are but few of the numerous accomplishments of the Human Services Ministry for 2022. They all aid in building a strong foundation upon which other development projects can be implemented.

Dr. Persaud no doubt has a unique opportunity to dare to do what has never been done before; to transform the path ahead backed by the country’s oil resources. One waits, with much hope, to see that she rises to the occasion.

The Waterfalls wishes her the very best in this endeavour.

If you would like to share your thoughts on this week’s column, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

 

 

 

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