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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Minister Griffin 2016/2017 Budget Statement Contribution
By Hon. Melanie S. Griffin, M.P., Minister of Social Services & Community Development
Jun 15, 2016 - 7:12:14 PM
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 Nassau, Bahamas - Contribution by the Hon. Melanie S. Griffin, M.P., Minister of Social Services & Community Development, 2016/17 Budget Debate on Tuesday, 14th June 2016:
Introduction
Mr. Speaker
I give thanks to Almighty God for empowering me with the health and strength to once again speak on behalf of the fine people of the Yamacraw Constituency who I am privileged to serve. I thank them for the trust they have reposed in me over these three terms and I give them every assurance that I will continue to do my best on their behalf.
I also wish to thank the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister for the confidence he has placed in me as the Minister of Social Services & Community Development and to commend the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister and the Minister of State for Finance for the bold measures they have taken over the last four years to bring our economy back from the edge of destruction. It has not been an easy road, but we have made the tough decisions and we have weathered the storm by exercising sound fiscal discipline and financial management reform which are all a part of the road to a modern Bahamas.
Mr. Speaker, this final budget presentation in this term epitomizes “An Agenda for a Modern Bahamas” and presentations by various Ministers demonstrate the work that is being done to reform the archaic systems that have outlived their usefulness and replace them with new modern systems and technology that will provide a more efficient, responsive and accountable public service which will assist in meeting the needs of our people in a more timely fashion, as well as allow us to be more competitive in the international arena. Yet, Mr. Speaker, it is still a people’s budget.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Social Services is ever cognizant of its role in the bigger picture of national development and I am happy to be able to share with members the highlights of some of the work we are doing.
Auditor-General’s Report
Mr. Speaker
During the course of the year the Ministry of Social Services & Community Development was beset by challenges, some of which were caused by external factors and others by internal issues. As the Minister, it is my duty to recognize such problems and ensure solutions are provided in a timely and forthright manner. I want to take this opportunity therefore; Mr. Speaker, to update members on the matter of the Auditor General’s report on the Department of Social Services which was recently tabled.
As the Minister, I must take responsibility, but I assure the honourable members and the Bahamian public that where inconsistencies have been found, they are being addressed, where wrongdoings have been uncovered, necessary internal action has been taken and the matter has also been turned over to the authorities. Further, where recommendations have been made, immediate steps were taken to comply and remedial actions are ongoing.
Mr. Speaker
The Department of Social Services accepts most of the observations and recommendations made by the Auditor-General. In the matter of the administration and practices of Health Social Services, the audit noted that there were several cases in which there was a significant time lapse between financial requests and service delivery. The Department is moving quickly to address this issue.
On the matter of misappropriation of funds, the Finance Officer of The Department agrees with and accepts the recommendation calling for mitigating controls which will be implemented to reduce risks such as fraud. Plans are already in place with the Ministry of Finance for staff training to reinforce proper management procedures and accountability.
Mr. Speaker, the matter from the Auditor-General’s report that has drawn most of the public’s attention is the fraudulent use of food coupons. Unfortunately, this has been an ongoing concern for successive governments and over the years these matters, contrary to public opinion, have been turned over to the Police and have also been prosecuted before the courts. The same procedure has been followed in the current situation.
I can advise that the modernization of the food assistance programme began in November 2014 with the implementation of the prepaid visa card, which was the first phase of the RISE Programme. With the prepaid card, we have been able to cease the preprinting of Temporary and Permanent food coupons, which reduces the risks of fraud. You will speak more to the prepaid reloadable card later.
On the matter of the Work Assistance Programme, the Auditor General lamented the level of participants in the Progeramme; however, the Ministry had already obtained approval to proceed with the appointment of its Work Assistance Programme participants in groupings with effect from 1st July, 2015. During the period 2013 to June 2015 a total of forty-nine (49) persons were appointed to the Permanent and Pensionable lists from the Programme. We therefore welcome the Government’s plan to integrate temporary and contractual workers into the service during this budget.
Mr. Speaker
Let me close on this matter by assuring the public that the implementation of the recommendations made by the Auditor General, as well as improvements noted in our own response, will be ongoing and we are sure the Department will continue to benefit from the Social Safety Net Reform and RISE programmes.
During the ensuing months the Department of Social Services will work assiduously to address the areas of concern. The Director and the Department’s executive team have reviewed the fundamental issues of procedures, internal controls and improved oversight. It should be noted that internal audits will be conducted periodically to ensure that systems are in fact functioning as they are intended to. A Compliance Officer along with support staff have been requested to assist with this task.
Expansion of Modern Payment System (Prepaid Card)
Mr. Speaker
One of the problems that we most frequently encounter in the development of The Bahamas is the administration of services within an archipelago.
Each service must be replicated throughout the archipelago and the administration of the service also requires additional manpower and bureaucracy. The Rt. Hon. Prime Minister has highlighted this challenge many times in the international fora.
It is further compounded if the service is to be administered on a weekly basis, as is the case of food coupons. While mechanisms have been put in place on each of the family islands to distribute coupons, plans to complete the introduction of the prepaid cards to food recipients on every island is very much on track.
Mr. Speaker, you would have heard the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister speak to the introduction of the modern prepaid visa card to improve the delivery of social assistance and, of course, the implementation of RISE, “to tie assistance to positive behavior” in the Budget Communication. Currently the prepaid visa cards have been implemented in New Providence, Grand Bahama and North Andros and as of the end of May, The Berry Islands.
The Ministry of Social Services & Community Development in following its mandate to assist persons who are in need of the basic necessities, namely food assistance, has launched a verification exercise for clients throughout The Bahamas to ensure that the Family Island residents and food store owners benefit from having access to a modern payment system the same as residents in New Providence and Grand Bahama.
I can report today, Mr. Speaker, that Family Island officers of my ministry have already conducted visits to the households of food assistance recipients throughout the Family Islands to obtain information regarding the Know Your Customer requirements for the Bank of The Bahamas for the pre-paid VISA card implementation. To date, One Thousand and Ninety (1,090) clients have been assessed across thirteen islands. The breakdown on the number of recipients on each island is as follows:
*Assessment may be delayed by persons not having the pertinent information available
Mr. Speaker, it is anticipated that by the end of this month most of our Family Islands will be using the prepaid cards for food assistance. No longer will recipients of Temporary and Permanent Food Assistance have to go to the centers every month for a food coupon and no longer will vendors have to wait for months for their payments. They will receive payments within 48 hours – this means an immediate increase in their cash flow.
It is anticipated that those approved after assessment will be able to receive their prepaid cards at the end of July. Food assistance recipients in Acklins and Crooked Island will go through the same verification process, but due to the devastation to stores resulting from the hurricane last October, those islands are unable to come on stream until restoration efforts are completed.
I wish to make clear two further points. Firstly, the islands of Grand Bahama and New Providence are NOT included on the listing I mentioned earlier as enrollment and verification began in those islands much earlier. Secondly, all of the other islands that were not included in the initial verification exercise will be covered in the coming months. That exercise will begin next month.
This also means, Mr. Speaker, that most of our Family Islands will be ready to receive the RISE Programme as they would have gone through the first phase – the prepaid card.
Mr. Speaker
It is important to this Administration and to the Department of Social Services that Family Island residents enjoy the same access to a modern efficient payment system as residents of New Providence and Grand Bahama
Mr. Speaker
During this and other presentations, I have made much of the introduction of prepaid cards and the follow-on programme called R.I.S.E. This is for a very good reason. The impact of these programmes cannot be overstated.
One may be tempted to believe that the act of giving money to the less fortunate is simple, and straightforward, which theoretically it should be. Yet, many persons are uncomfortable applying for assistance of any kind. The feeling will be even more traumatic if the service they receive is inefficient and unnecessarily repetitive. The impact of the card programmes is therefore twofold, the first being increasing efficiency, through the use of technology. Indeed one of the most immediate effects is a better control of the government’s funds as it relates to both the Temporary and Permanent Food Assistance programmes. Mr. Speaker, in 2013/2014 we requested contingency funds in the amount of $5.5M and in 2014/2015 contingency funds totaled $9.4M. I can report today that we will only have to request contingency funds in the amount of $1.3M and this is particularly because of the new commitment for family islands coming on stream with the prepaid cards. Clearly this is a vast improvement in the management of public funds. The second outcome from the implementation of the prepaid cards is the restoration of human dignity through the elimination of long waiting times for food coupons and the fact that the client does not have to visit the Department on a monthly basis.
R.I.S.E. (Renewing, Inspiring, Sustaining, Empowering)
Mr. Speaker,
As indicated earlier, the prepaid card heralded the advent of a modern payment system for the delivery of social assistance. A similar card will be used for the RISE Programme. RISE (Renewing, Inspiring, Sustaining, Empowering), you would be aware is The Bahamas’ conditional cash transfer programme which transfers a cash grant to approved beneficiaries who will have the flexibility to manage their funds to the optimal benefit of their households. Beneficiaries must fulfill pre-specified education and health conditions.
The objectives of RISE are to deliver services more efficiently through the new payment method; reduce poverty and improve educational achievement and promote a healthier lifestyle among children.
RISE beneficiaries will automatically be eligible for the Medical Card for use at public hospitals and clinics, the School Lunch Programme and Burial Assistance.
Beneficiaries must ensure that their school-age children attend 90 percent of class time; that their school-age children attend tutoring sessions as instructed, if their GPA falls below 2.0, that their children are receiving health checks, that as parents they attend Parent Craft and Nutrition classes as required, that they attend prescribed clinics during pregnancy and that they make themselves available for home visits from a Lifestyle Coach.
There are three modules or phases to the RISE Programme - Targeting (registration), Enrollment and Payment which are implemented incrementally.
To date as a part of our Pilot of the RISE Programme, we have completed the Targeting phase in four of our Outreach Centres - Wulff Road and Robinson Road Centres in New Providence, Eight Mile Rock in Grand Bahama and North Andros. We expect to commence the full roll out of RISE to the remainder of New Providence and the Family Islands soon.
In March, 2016, the Department commenced enrollment at the Wulff Road Center, when eighty one (81) households were enrolled. To date three hundred and eighty two households (382) have been enrolled in New Providence and North Andros. At enrollment eligible householders receive training on the Programme which included their roles and responsibilities, the calculation of the RISE payment and compliance benefits. Householders sign an agreement and are then ready for their RISE payment. All approved beneficiaries must complete the enrollment training in order to be eligible to receive the payment.
Mr. Speaker, having reached the enrollment phase of the pilot, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister presented the first RISE PROGRAMME Prepaid Cards to four recipients from the Wulff Road Center on Thursday, May 26th, 2016. I can report today, that THE FIRST RISE PROGRAMME PAYMENT was made on Friday, May 27th, 2016 when recipients from the first enrolled households from the Wulff Road Center went to the Bank and made history as the first beneficiaries of the RISE Programme!
It is notable that when we introduced the prepaid card for the Food Assistance Programme, it was restricted to food vendors only. While the RISE prepaid card will have some restrictions, it will allow clients more flexibility with meeting the needs of their households. Clients in receipt of the RISE prepaid card will be able to withdraw a maximum of fifty dollars ($50.00) per month from The Bank of the Bahamas and the balance of the funds on the card can only be used at approved vendors (grocery stores, pharmacies, bookstores, clothing stores, shoe stores and LP gas vendors).
The next step will be the compliance phase, when the amounts earmarked for the educational and health conditions will be applied to the RISE Prepaid Cards. Compliance with the conditions will then begin in September. Social Workers will work closely with RISE beneficiaries to monitor compliance and provide counseling on the management of the household funds.
On behalf of the Ministry, Mr. Speaker, I wish to express sincere gratitude to all who worked so diligently for us to arrive at this point - The Bank of The Bahamas, The IDB, Partner Ministries (Health, Education, and Finance), DIT, Statistics, Staff of the Social Safety Net Unit and the Department of Social Services, including the entire Community Support team. We look forward to the full implementation of RISE to the benefit of our people. Mr. Speaker, this is what good governance is all about.
Disability Affairs
Mr. Speaker,
The inclusion of each and every Bahamian in nation-building cannot be understated. For too long, persons with disabilities have been excluded from our churches, parks and even government offices because of inaccessibility. Indeed, they are denied the enjoyment of everyday life because, more often than not, they do not have access to the built environment. It is this government’s intention to end these practices of exclusion.
After many years of effort, Honourable Members will recall we passed the Persons with Disabilities Act (Equal Opportunities) 2014. In January 2015 the Commission for Persons with Disabilities began meeting. Later that same year, a Secretariat was formed and began in earnest to turn provisions of the Act into committed actions. This year, the Commission will seek to increase its staff to an appropriate number to fulfill its mandate.
Mr. Speaker, on January 1st, 2016, the provisions of the Act pertaining to accessibility to public buildings and parking came into force. This means that proprietors of all buildings which the public is permitted to enter – such as banks, supermarkets, churches, schools, sporting complexes, Government facilities and medical centres – have until December 31, 2017 to ensure that their buildings are accessible that by June 30th, 2016 (the end of this month) there are adequate accessible parking spaces for persons with disabilities. Failure to do so will result in enforcement action. Included in this budget are provisions for the Commission to increase its public education and awareness efforts to help ensure that proprietors are compliant with the Act, so that persons with disabilities can truly enjoy an accessible, barrier-free environment.
We cannot leave the compliance with the various parts of the Act to chance Mr. Speaker. We have therefore also included in this budget provisions to recruit and employ inspectors who will be required to investigate, and if necessary, recommend prosecution for non-compliance with the provisions of the Act.
Since its inception, the Commission, including the officers of the Secretariat has been kept busy, not only through its programmes but also because of the growing number of persons seeking assistance as they become more aware of its existence. Despite this, there is a need to continue educating Bahamians as to the role and work of the Commission and the need for compliance with the Act. It is only through compliance that persons with disabilities will be able to enjoy an accessible, barrier-free environment.
Mr. Speaker,
The Commission has already proven how the lives of persons with disabilities can be greatly improved by the introduction of technology designed to assist persons with hearing impairment. The CART (Communication Access Real Time Technology) system (technology which converts the spoken word to text, was purchased by the Commission for its hearing impaired members. It has also proven to be capable of bringing the benefits of the hearing world to persons who are deaf or who have hearing impairments at various events such as town meetings.
Mr. Speaker,
Another reason that persons with disabilities are often ignored is because we do not know their numbers. The WHO (World Health Organization) report states that anywhere from Ten to Fifteen percent of persons in a country will experience some type of disability. This means that somewhere between Thirty-seven thousand (37,000) and Fifty-five thousand (55,000) Bahamians are living with some type of disability, whether it be physical, intellectual, psychological or developmental. Unfortunately, it is expected that these numbers will go up due to the effects of increasing rates of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes. We can no longer ignore this problem in our midst and so we must build accordingly, not only for future generations but for ourselves. We must also build for those whose disabilities are not physical but developmental.
It is notable that the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities has begun their registration process. The registration form has been approved by the Department of Statistics and has been distributed to various organizations for persons with disabilities, as well as at Social Services Centers throughout the country. Parents, Guardians and caregivers of persons with disabilities, as well as persons with disabilities who are able to are encouraged to register as a matter of urgency as the Act requires.
Mr. Speaker
A Multi-Service Facility for Persons with Developmental Disabilities was the brainchild of the Life Options and REACH organizations and a long time vision of the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister. This initiative came out of the desire to address the needs of young adults with development disabilities who have completed the course of study provided by the Ministry of Education and other private facilities.
To achieve this ambitious goal, the government formed a Task Force in June 2013 which was commissioned to collect information and suggest methods by which to create an appropriate facility. The groundbreaking was held in May 2015 and I am pleased to report that $10M has been allocated in the Capital Works Budget of the Ministry of Works for this facility.
The facility is to be built on 30 acres of crown-granted property and construction will be done in two phases. Phase One will include: a covered drive-up area, administrative offices, auditorium, cafeteria, light manufacturing facilities, woodwork area, car detailing, education block, medical building, horticulture/agriculture and nature trail. Phase Two will include: respite housing, horse stable and riding trails for therapeutic purposes, a pool and recreational games area.
When completed, the centre will use curricula adapted to fit within the Bahamian cultural context and designed to promote inclusion, independence and productivity. Emphasis will be placed on activities that teach students how to be live on their own and become productive members of society. They will be encouraged to volunteer in local businesses and government facilities. The facility is designed to operate five days a week from 8am- 5pm, with recreational and special outings being provided on weekends. Initially, the facility will cater to 250 persons engaged in on-site programmes of work skills and academic learning, therapy, agriculture and light manufacturing. Additionally, another cohort of approximately 50 students will be engaged in community programmes of work and volunteerism and attachments to appropriate programmes operated by our Non-governmental partners.
Mr. Speaker,
To manage a project of this magnitude, a small unit including a Project Coordinator, a Project Manager and an Administrative Assistant has been brought together in The Ministry of Social Services & Community Development. This unit is responsible for the management of the preparatory steps for the full operation of the facility. This team was formed in 2014 and has undertaken a number of projects closely associated with the operation of the Multi-service Centre for Adults with Developmental Disabilities. These include preparatory work for:
1. A Pilot Respite Care programme
2. A Pilot Day Habilitation programme
3. Development of an Advocacy Group consisting of adults and their parents
4. Training initiatives for a small cadre of core workers and partners.
During the construction period, the project office will continue to work on a number of initiatives, including: Community Relations & Outreach, creating a comprehensive training programme for staffing of the Centre and development of an appropriate educational curriculum in conjunction with the Ministry of Education Science & Technology, the identification and registration of potential participants in New Providence, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands and finally a public relations campaign.
Mr. Speaker
If we are to engage in the creation of society that values all life, then we must put our time, our talents and our money into building facilities that address the needs of the many persons with disabilities who cannot speak for themselves. The facility at Gladstone Road will bring persons with various abilities into one place. By doing so, we greatly increase our population’s awareness to persons with disabilities, increase our tolerance for persons who are different from us, bring more people into the workforce and above all display the often hidden and untapped talents of persons with different abilities.
Bureau of Women’s Affairs
Mr. Speaker,
Gender-based Violence: Nothing has proven so vexing a problem as the level of violence in the Bahamian society and particularly in the Bahamian home. I have said on multiple occasions in numerous venues that the fight against violent crime begins at home. Children who are the victims of violence or constantly see it in their homes are more likely to become violent offenders in the community. Much of this violence happens between men and women, and women are primarily the victims. The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence against women and girls as "Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life".
Some global estimates state that up to six out of ten women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. The Bahamas, along with other countries in The Caribbean, is committed to reducing the levels of these crimes. While significant steps have been taken within national legislation and policies to address gender-based violence in The Bahamas, it is important to note that a concise, coordinated and measurable action plan has been adopted by the Government which will guide implementation of the legal framework; and which seeks to eradicate the root causes of gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker,
You will recall that the National Strategic Plan to Address Gender Based Violence, which was produced by the Gender-based Violence Task Force appointed by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister and co-sponsored UN Women was laid in this place in February of this year. During the Mid-Year Budget debate I advised that the Implementation Plan for the Report, which speaks to costing and ministerial responsibilities for the implementation of the “Ten Low Laying Fruit” and other aspects of the Task Force Report, would be finalized within a few months.
To support the Government in finalizing the draft implementation plan, representatives from UN Women along with the National Task Force and the Bureau of Women’s Affairs held multi-sectoral meetings on April 7th and 8th, 2016. At the meeting, monitoring, evaluation and expected outcomes of the implementation plan were discussed. I can report, Mr. Speaker, that completion of the Implementation Plan is imminent.
I can also report, Mr. Speaker, that some transitional funding has been put in this Budget in furtherance of the implementation of the recommendations from the GBV Report. Further, Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend the work of the Office of the Attorney General which has produced the first draft of a comprehensive bill to address GBV for consideration. You will hear more of this in due course.
Mr. Speaker, I believe it is the moral duty of every citizen to aide in the reduction of domestic and gender-based violence. It will take the co-ordination of national and international agencies with a comprehensive implementation plan to deliver the results needed to reduce the level of violence in our country. We are all in this together, it impacts all of us!
60th Session of UN Commission on the Status of Women: Mr. Speaker, in March of this year, I led a delegation of Bahamian women to the 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations. The priority theme was, ‘Women’s empowerment and its link to sustainable development’. The review theme was ‘The elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls’. The meeting was a very rewarding one and members from the various non-governmental and political organizations were able to interact and exchange information with their counter-parts from other countries. The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of our country statement and the hosting of a side-event at the session by the New York Mission on Violence in the Caribbean. Dr. Sandra Dean Patterson and Pastor Barrington Brennen were presenters on the distinguished panel.
CEDAW Candidacy: Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to report that The Bahamas has placed the name of Mrs. Marion Bethel-Sears in nomination for a seat on the UN Committee for the Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women, known as CEDAW. You may recall that Mrs. Bethel-Sears, noted attorney, human and gender rights activist, film-maker and acclaimed writer/poet, was the first Bahamian and 11th woman to receive the prestigious regional CARICOM Tri-annual Award for Women in July 2014. We have high hopes for Mrs. Bethel-Sears success on behalf of The Bahamas and I will be joining her in New York next week for the election.
Expansion of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs to a Department
Mr. Speaker,
The Bahamas' National Women's Machinery was established in June, 1981, some 35 years ago as a Women's Desk. Over the years it has continued to evolve to what is now the Bureau of Women's Affairs. For some time now consideration has been given to expanding the existing mandate of the Bureau, which has primarily focused on women and girls to include men and boys and indeed the entire family. This recommendation to expand the Bureau to a department is a part of the draft National Gender Policy which is in its final stages and has also been recommended in the GBV Task Force report.
The expanded mandate will now include alleviating gender-based violence, along with empowering women and girls and facilitating their access to resources and opportunities across sectors; engaging men and boys, particularly those marginalized and at risk of falling into deviant and/or criminal behaviours; strengthening the family as the fundamental unit of society; and generally improving the quality of life of women and girls and men and boys, families and communities throughout The Bahamas.
The Department will play a major role in establishing the GBV Authority and both agencies will complement each other as they work towards the implementation of the recommendations of the GBV Task Force, along with multi-sectoral partners.
Funds have been earmarked in this budget for this transition.
The Department of Social Services
Mr. Speaker,
The Department of Social Services provides extensive services for persons throughout this archipelago, as we like to say “from the cradle to the grave” and is, of course very much involved with the ongoing expansion of the prepaid card and the implementation of the RISE Programme.
Mr. Speaker, having covered most of the areas in the Department during the Mid-Year Budget, I am taking this opportunity to provide updates of the ongoing work of the Ministry and Department. Before I conclude, therefore, I want to speak to child protection efforts which are ongoing through the Child Protection Unit in conjunction with the National Child Protection Council.
Mr. Speaker, it has always been my position that one act of child abuse, is one too many. It is for this reason that Child Protection Month is held in April each year to raise the level of awareness and provide information throughout the country on the issue of child protection. The Department and the Council are joined by other agencies like, the SCAN Unit from the Ministry of Health, the Urban Renewal Unit of the Department and the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Child Protection Month 2016 was held under the theme, “Protecting our Children, Protecting our Future”
Activities for the month included, the Annual Church Service at Bahamas Harvest Church, Fox Hill; Workshops and Seminars for training of the various stakeholders, media blitzes, poem competition, exhibitions, school visitations, a youth march and rally, travel to various family islands to carry the message of child protection and closing out with the distribution of flyers at various inter-sections and round-abouts.
Mr. Speaker, for the first time this year we used another symbol for child protection, the pinwheel. This new addition to the child protection efforts signifies the carefree life of hope of a child. Pinwheel gardens were planted at Government House, at the Care Village in Grand Bahama and various schools during visits to the several family islands.
I cannot close without thanking Ms Elaine Pinder, Proprietor of Bamboo Shack and her partners for their ongoing support for child protection through their Cookies for Kids programme and His Excellency Paul Gomez, Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China for his ongoing sponsorship of the National Hotline.
I think this is an opportune time to advise the public that the National Hotline numbers are 322-2763 or 422-2763. This hotline is manned 24/7 by trained social workers and is open to all persons in distress. So whatever you are going through, Just Call Us!
Referendum
Mr. Speaker, with regard to the recent Referendum, I wish to join the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister in thanking the Bahamian people who participated in this democratic process and while it was not the results I would have wanted, the people have spoken. History will be the judge of us all…it is time for healing and moving forward.
Conclusion
Mr. Speaker, as I conclude, I would wish to express heartfelt condolences to the families of Patrick Turnquest, Lovelee McQueen and Fr. Ormand Wright, who were all laid to rest in the last few days, all were well known residents of Yamacraw. May their souls rest in peace.
I also wish to express my sincere sympathy to the family of Minister Ivan Cleare, who lost his life tragically on Sunday past. I knew Minister Cleare for many years as we attended the New Bethlehem Church, where his father was pastor. He was a kind and decent man of God, who loved his family, his church and his country. He was always one who sought to develop young people and I could remember his participation in the church’s softball and volleyball teams and how he organized an early morning basketball session for the young men. He will surely be missed by us all. On behalf of my family, I extend sincere condolences to the entire family - his wife, Dainette and children and his Mother, Evangelist Alice Cleare and siblings. May God indeed strengthen them during this difficult hour.
Mr. Speaker, as I close, I wish to commend the work of the hardworking staff of the Ministry of Social Services & Community Development and the Department of Social Services. Many of them have sacrificed their personal resources to ensure that their clients receive the very best service. Having served with them over the last five years, I can truly say that social service workers are engaged in Christian ministry. They ensure that the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, the hopeless are given hope, and the homeless receive shelter. They really fulfill a divine mission in spite of the challenges.
Mr. Speaker,
To my colleagues, I say, let us stay focused on the task ahead. When we came to office in 2002 we met the economy of this country on the brink of destruction. By the end of the term, through sound fiscal management, we left the economy in a sound state, which the incoming government squandered by 2012. Once again, we find ourselves having to rebuild the economy. Let us stay focused and continue to trust in God, who will surely see us through.
Mr. Speaker, Yamacraw supports this 2016 Budget.
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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