Georgetown, GINA,
September 15, 2003
The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C)
Administration has contributed substantially to the social development
of the country in the face of numerous challenges over the last
eleven years.
The PPP/C is committed to reducing the levels of poverty countrywide.
The Party is committed to improving the functionality of social
safety nets, and improving the productivity of the poor.
The national budget outlined allocations for millions of dollars
for improving the lives of persons and these allocations are not
specific to any one area. After this Administration’s accession
to office in 1992, several measures to improve the standard of
living of all Guyanese have been implemented.
With a population of over 700,000 the Government has worked assiduously
to reduce poverty status.In the early 1990s, approximately 80%
of the population lived in absolute poverty. Today, this has been
reduced to less than 40%.
A National Development Strategy (NDS) Paper and a Poverty Reduction
Strategy Paper (PRSP) were drafted to improve the performance
of the country to influence macro and micro economic growth and
improve social services. In this plan, the Social Impact Amelioration
Programme (SIMAP) and the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) were extremely
helpful.
PROGRAMMES
As regards social development programmes in
the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, there
are a number of programmes to address the needs of the country.
Some of these are the school uniform distribution, the women empowerment
programme, and financial and food support.
In this programme over $65M was expended to ensure children were
equipped with the basics so that they may attend school.
Persons from the Hinterland communities, also received significant
support through the Uniform Assistance programme.The Ministry
also provides significant support through the Difficult Circumstances
Unit, established with the primary aim of assisting those in need.
The Social Impact Amelioration Programme (SIMAP) and the Basic
Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) operate as complementary programmes, injecting
$4.2M and $5.7M respectively to develop the Hinterland. Both SIMAP
and BNTF are committed to developing the social and economic infrastructure
of the Hinterland. Persons in these communities will benefit from
training and health centres and new schools.
Santa Rosa, Arakaka and Parishara are some of the areas benefiting
from this investment. Over the past years, the Ministry
expended in excess of $700M on poverty related activities:
(a)The Women’s Affairs Bureau and the National
Commission on Women continue to reach hundreds of women.
(b)The Women’s Affairs Bureau (WAB), designed a five-year
action plan to mainstream women’s issues and network with
Non-Governmental women’s organizations.
(c)This focuses specifically on women in leadership, women in
the economy, violence against women, and women in decision-making.
(d)The Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute is one of the
pivotal agencies through which women are trained. Their programmes
also extend to the Hinterland Regions.
(e)This Institute was developed in 1997 through a purely PPP/C
initiative.
(f)The extension of the interests of women now reaches all Regions
where there are Regional Women’s Desks to address pressing
women’s issues.
(g)The Women’s Affairs Bureau has begun consultations on
the National Policy Paper on Women. This allows for women to make
an impact in their own affairs.
As it relates to Pension payments, the Ministry has also been
able to amend the problems relating to pension payments and have
now streamlined the process with improved security features.
Pension books were distributed this year in a more efficient way.
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has also petitioned
for waivers on Water Tariffs for pensioners. They also hosted
seminars on health and nutrition and other issues for the senior
citizens.
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Another achievement at the Ministry of Human
Services and Social Security was the securing of a counseling
Centre in Port Mourant for domestic and other violence and HIV/AIDS.
Other achievements include:
(1)The reopening of the Genesis Home although it’s now in
the hands of a non-governmental organization.
(2)A birth certificate campaign through the National
Commission on the Rights of the Child to increase awareness of
the need for births to be registered.
(3)Creating more awareness of violence against
women and incorporating the services of important agencies in
the fight against this scourge.
(4) Implementing a Visiting Committee to monitor
the performance of orphanages in the interest of the nation’s
children.
(5)Completing rehabilitative work to the Palms
to facilitate better accommodation for the destitute.
(6)Improve its staff component, and
(7)Addressing vital issues from employment for
underprivileged persons to adoption matters.
The Government’s ability to adequately
address the issues relating to women, children and the poor are
critical to its success. Although addressing matters relating
to the poor are spread across more than one Ministry, the Ministry
of Human Services and Social Security made bold steps over the
past eleven years to improve the quality of life among Guyanese.
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