CATEGORY:POLITICS
-----------------------

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article represents the views, policies and vision of the New National Party (NNP) headed by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell. The NNP has been in office since 1995 - for three consecutive terms. In the last general election, the NNP won 8 of the 15 seats that were contested.





Social Safety Net:
-------------------------
On the social front, we need to continue efforts to strengthen social safety nets for vulnerable groups and to continue to build the social infrastructure of education, health and sport. Government, in its unwavering quest to meet the needs of its citizens, has made more money, per person, available to the Public Assistance Programme. The Ministry of Social Development extends its care for the vulnerable, elderly, and disabled.

The Ministry is now assisting four thousand and seventy five (4075) throughout Grenada under the Public Assistance Programme. This figure represents an increase of eight hundred and thirty two (832) more persons than that of 2004 (mostly associated with the displacement caused by the hurricanes). Additionally, the Ministry has increased the monthly beneficiaries from $100 to $130.

Under the Social Safety Net, they are other areas such as:

*The Necessitous Fund – to help children go to school (transportation).

*Water – individual water service to our elderly that replaces the void left by NAWASA’S removal of stand pipes (service ends at time of death).

*Burial Assistance - to the amount of $800 per needy family (who fall outside of normal insurance assistance)

*Disaster Assistance – for fire or localized disaster - to the amount of $1,500 per needy family (not NaDMA related).

The aim of the Government is to assist every vulnerable person who falls within the ambits of the criteria established under the Public Assistance Programme.

Some of the basic requirements that will enable someone to receive Public Assistance are persons requesting assistance should be sixty (60) years and over in cases whereby one is physically or mentally disabled and is unable to work. Persons should be unemployed or have little or no source of income, also, persons receiving pension or substantially supported by family members will not be considered.