…major emphasis to be placed on children, youths
CONTINUED emphasis this year will be on protecting the vulnerable sections of society, as government will focus significant attention on children and young people.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, in presenting the 2012 budget estimates of $192.8B  to Parliament on Friday, said that emphasis will be placed on upgrading of the Mahaica home which has served as a significant tool in providing care and protection for young girls who have faced abuse. This intervention will also see government, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, providing financial support and training for the establishment of a “half way house” to accommodate youths who have reached the required age to leave the care system, but are not yet capable of re-integration into society.
“The national foster care programme will also be expanded this year, ensuring every child in need is placed in a family. This is indicative of the wider government position of promoting family-based care, ensuring that children are cared for in a home,” he said.
Guyana’s first ever Family Court, which was completed in 2011, will become functional, once the required laws governing it are completed. Adults and children will then be able to seek redress in family-related matters.
Adoption, guardianship and custody related matters are expected to be handled in an appropriate manner, reducing the backlog of cases which already exists in the magistrates and high courts.
Two additional pieces of legislation, the Child Care and Development Services Act 2011, and the Custody, Access, Guardianship and Maintenance Act of 2011 were passed, geared towards improving child protection.
While, the Child Care and Protection Agency was commissioned in 2011, the Child Care Department was successful in removing 489 children from abusive situations and placing them in safe homes.  Over 55 children secured homes with respected families in 2011, under the Ministry’s National Foster Care programme.

Youths
Catering for the needs of youths is the most important investment a government can make, to aid in the reduction of criminal activities; hence the formation of the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment, the Board of Industrial Training and the YEST programmes.
These initiatives have seen over 2,900 out of school youths and other vulnerable young people receiving skills training, to better equip themselves with a trade for life.
“Our government spent $58M on infrastructural works at the Smythfield Drop-In Centre, the Sophia Training Centre, the facility at Madewini Youth Camp. In 2012, increased focus will be given towards encouraging youth development through our vocational and other skills programmes,” Minister Singh said.
While government is working to have another 2,850 young people trained, $66M has been allocated to better equip and rehabilitate training centres countrywide.

Single Parents
Government has been catering for the needs of single parents, by initiating mechanisms which will generate income, hence the implementation of the Women of Worth (WOW) programme from which approximately 400 single mothers benefited.
“The fact that a number of women are now able to work towards providing a better quality of life for themselves and families through some of our programmes is no small achievement for this government,” Dr. Singh said.
Additionally, 2,000 women are expected to be trained in small business development, basic accounting and self improvement courses, aimed at accelerating their capabilities and affording them opportunities to source markets for production.
Continued efforts will be made towards improving the lives of senior citizens this year, picking up from the many achievements made in 2011.
Dr. Singh stated that while infrastructural development works continued at the Palms and other geriatric Institutions, over 42,000 pensioners continued to benefit from monthly old age pensions, with an increase in their pension allowance.

Homeless
The Night Shelter will continue this year to provide the basic necessity care, inclusive of accommodation, meals and medical assistance to more than 200 persons on a daily basis, as government has recruited a full time social worker to provide counselling, training and job placement assistance.
“Further, with the completion of the Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration at Onverwagt, over 300 persons are expected to benefit… In support of these initiatives, developmental programmes would be introduced to ensure a better quality of life for our vulnerable citizens at the shelters,” the Finance Minister stated.

Pension, public assistance
Budget 2012 provides for public assistance to be paid, with effect from May 1, 2012, at a rate of $5,900, a seven  percent increase, more than double what was being paid just five years ago.
Old age pensions are currently paid to 42,000 pensioners at a rate of $7,500 per month; however, with effect from May 1, 2012, pensions will be at a rate of $8,100 per month, an 8 percent increase over the 2011 rate.
Taken together, the increase in public assistance and old age pension will place a further $350M  disposable income in the hands of the elderly and the most vulnerable.(GINA)