Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development the Hon. Steven Blackett believes that the additional funds allocated to the Welfare Department will go a long way towards helping Barbadians in need of assistance.
In fact, he revealed that his Ministry will soon convene a meeting with the management of the department to identify who exactly should benefit from the funds.
During the 2016 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposal, it was acknowledged that the new tax on imports would have negative impacts on “some of the more vulnerable among us,” and Minister of Finance Christopher Sinckler proposed that an additional $2 million be allocated to the Welfare Department this financial year to assist in the expected increase in requests for assistance going forward.
“That certainly would, I believe suffice the needs of those people who are on our vulnerable list, who present to the Welfare Department on a daily basis. We have about 4 500 clients on our welfare list and that would certainly go a far way in alleviating some of the additional burdens that will fall to those persons that
will be affected by any increase in the cost of living,” Blackett shared after accepting a cheque in the amount of $35 000 House from the People’s Republic of China towards the National Assistance Board’s (NAB) Lancaster House.
He also said that his Ministry’s other agencies, departments and statutory boards “will of course be mindful of whatever increases come”, adding “they are well equipped to alleviate any pending increases by clients coming for assistance.” (TL)
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