The commitment of this Government to poverty reduction and social protection is well known, and has produced measurable results in lowering indigence and poverty.
This year, Budget 2019 commits $104 million to the area of social protection. Statistics from the Ministry of National Mobilisation indicate that our programmes of emergency and monthly assistance, home help for the elderly and the national assistance fund supported 10,754 Vincentians in 2018.
We are proud of this work on behalf of vulnerable Vincentians.
The innovative Zero Hunger Trust Fund (ZHTF) utilises a small telecommunications levy to support Goals One and Two of the Sustainable Development Goals. For the first nine months of 2018, the ZHTF spent $1.2 million in pursuit of these goals.
It sponsored 330 children in 12 primary schools – purchasing their textbooks and making a $350 donation to the purchase of uniforms and supplies.
The Fund provided all students at those 12 primary schools with a daily lunch, coconut water and fresh fruit and vegetables. School kitchen facilities also received upgrades.
Further, the ZHTF provided quarterly nutritional support to 360 elderly Vincentians, and training and apprenticeships to 45 vulnerable youth. This creative and caring approach to strengthening our social safety net will intensify in 2019.
Our social protection reforms in 2019 will focus on improving the quality and efficiency of the service we deliver to the Vincentian public, including customer service.
In this regard, the World Bank funded Human Development Service Delivery Project is designed, among other things, to co-ordinate social protection services across government, improve the payment mechanisms and the beneficiary identification process.
Targeted work in gender development, childcare and youth empowerment will intensify in 2019. As always, an unswerving commitment to the wellbeing of all Vincentians – particularly the most vulnerable – is at the heart of our developmental philosophy.
