– Minister Manickchand
Minister of Human Services, Priya Manickchand, at another Single Parent Assistance programme Sunday distributed vouchers for day care expenses to single mothers of Vreed-en-Hoop Region Three and Fort Wellington at the Regional Democratic Council Offices.

The Minister echoed Government’s continued commitment towards assisting individuals and families who are vulnerable in society by empowering single parents.

Minister of Human Services, Priya Manickchand, presenting a day care voucher to a parent at Fort Wellington, WCB.

One recipient of the voucher said that it is “very good of the Government to help the single parents because it is difficult to support their children and pay all of their bills.”

Minister Manickchand addressing single parents at the Fort Wellington, Regional Council Office.

The training aspect would allow single parents to be trained in skills that would allow them to better themselves and improve their quality of life.

The distribution of grants would see the government further financing and enhancing the skills taught during the training sessions; for example this would allow the government to provide a sewing machine for a single parent if she underwent a sewing course and was successful, the Minister explained.

The single parents at the meetings expressed great optimism for the training courses saying that it would permit them the opportunity to harness the skills they possess and allow them to gain employment and be better able to provide an improved income.

Minister Manickchand, addressing the concerns raised by different sections of society who say that the vouchers are inadequate, said, the ‘Government would love to do more and if they could have afforded more, they would have done more.”

She explained that she found out that the amount parents pay to have their children in day care at Fort Wellington is $2000 per month and that the day care voucher being given “will be covering 50% of the cost they usually pay and that is $1000 extra saved that can be generated towards other beneficial uses.”

Parents took heed of Government’s contributions in helping the single parents of Guyana promising to put the money given towards the use for which it was intended.

Prior to Sunday’s distribution, two were held in Anna Regina on April 6 and Wismar and Mackenzie, on April 11. (GINA)