MHS&SS $48.3B budget will improve lives of vulnerable – Dr Persaud

…says Opposition’s vicious attacks unnecessary

The $48.3 billion allocated in this year’s budget for the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHS&SS) will play a pivotal role in ensuring senior citizens, persons living with disabilities, and women and girls have opportunities that weren’t available during the coalition’s tenure in office.
This comment was made by Human Service and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud during the ongoing budget debates in the National Assembly on Thursday. At the time responding to concerns raised by Opposition Parliamentarian Natasha Singh-Lewis, she hinted at plans to revamp the Palms Geriatric Home in Georgetown once a new $172 million elderly care facility is built at Enmore, East Coast Demerara.
This new facility would be located some distance away from the existing one in Georgetown; and, Dr Persaud explained, occupants of the Palms in Georgetown would be moved to the Enmore home when rehabilitation commences on the Palms facility.
Established in 1874, the Palms provides 24-hour nursing care and other services to elderly citizens.
Following this announcement, she said the Opposition’s “vile and vicious attacks” on the fiscal package for the MHS&SS shows their disregard for the lives of the vulnerable.
“Much of the budget revolves around senior citizens, and I am happy that the honourable member before me spoke at length about the 150-year-old Palms facility. And I would like to say that this Government has allotted $172M for a spanking new senior citizens’ home because we are concerned about the senior citizens across this country…
“The pensioners, over the tenure of the PPP/C, benefitted from a 75% increase on their pension, and that is much more than what was given in five years of the APNU+AFC Government. Pensioners not only benefitted from an increase in pension, but also benefitted from the improvement of how they’re receiving their pension. There’re so many alternatives; pension can be deposited in the bank…,” Dr. Persaud stated.
Additionally, a wellness and wellbeing programme will be developed for pensioners, so they can remain active and access nutritional advice, among other forms of assistance.
Outside of support ventures for elderly citizens, Dr. Persaud made clear, several other ventures are being supported through the $1.146 trillion budget. Among those are the much-needed rehabilitation of the Sophia children’s facility into a “model” residential facility for children with disabilities. Further, $37 million has been set aside for the Mahaica Girls’ Home to be rehabilitated, while $53 million will pave the way for construction of the Juvenile Justice Centre.
“I understand the dilemma of the Opposition, because they have to find things to say about this budget; that is the purpose of an Opposition. But when it is just very vicious and vile attacks, it says to me you really don’t have much to say…,” she declared.
“Mr Speaker, I want to say that the Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Human Services will continue to commit to the delivery and the expansion of programmes; initiatives that will improve the quality of life of the people of Guyana: building on what we have already achieved and moving towards the prosperity we speak of,” the Human Service and Social Security Minister said.

Persons living with disabilities
Under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the Government of Guyana plans to establish, in 2024, a special unit to cater for persons living with disabilities (PWDs). This unit would allow for the smooth transition of policies, development of targeted programmes, and continuation of the work currently being managed by the various departments in the MHS&SS.
Minister Dr Persaud said the initiative is part of Government’s commitment to increase assistance and accessibility to services for the vulnerable population, hence consultations with persons living with disabilities would commence in early 2024.
She explained that this would ensure that the needs of the vulnerable population are catered for in a holistic manner, specifically one that blends policy with services.
In 2023, a total of 3000 persons living with disabilities had benefitted from technical and vocational training at the $73 million Learning Lab Center which was commissioned at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara. The training aimed to move persons living with disabilities from a state of dependency to one of financial independence, and essentially improve their quality of life by equipping them with employable skills.
Moreover, in excess of 100 persons from across the ten administrative regions of Guyana had benefitted from the MHS&SS’s wheelchair and eyecare programmes.

Day and night care centres
Construction of the day and night childcare centres in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region 3) and Demerara-Mahaica (Region 4) are in the early stages of completion. Budgetary provisions of $85.3 million were made available in January 2023 for the centre in Region Three and $83.8 million for the one in Region Four, following approval from the Parliamentary Committee of Supply. Those respective sums cater for the provision of buildings and the payment of retention, the purchase of a vehicle and the purchase of furniture and equipment.
The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government’s intention is to create a safe and trusted facility for the nation’s children, especially infants, so they could be properly catered for while their parents are at work. In this regard, the new facilities would each play a crucial role in exposing children under their care to a variety of early development educational learning activities.
Guyana Times understands that Government is hoping to commission the two facilities in the third quarter of 2024, and have them operational by year end.

GBV and human trafficking training
The Spotlight Initiative aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, through its six pillars: legislation, institutional strengthening, prevention, services, data and women’s rights and civil society.
Through this initiative, 2,688 persons were assisted through the Survivor Advocate programme, over 1000 frontline personnel were trained to identify trafficking in persons, and 1,500 persons were trained in 2023 through the Community Advocates’ Network to assist with reporting, support, and identifying persons they believe are being abused.
Moreover, 2,456 victims of gender-based violence (GBV) received crisis counselling, 1,851 received court support, and 100 social workers were trained in GBV. These efforts form part of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration’s 2020-2025 manifesto commitment of providing expanded access to legal aid services for persons across Guyana.