Funds estimated for the triple sector Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security remained intact during the consideration of the estimates in the National Assembly. The sum of $9.1B was allocated under current expenditure for the Ministry.

Under this allocation, $222.7M is geared towards strategic planning and the administration of the Human Services sector. This allocation will be used to co-ordinate the work programme of the Ministry and to ensure that services and resources are used efficiently and effectively.
Under the social services sector, $8.2M was allocated to promote the social welfare of all Guyanese by providing social, economic and medical services to the citizens of Guyana.
The sum of $441.2M was allocated under labour administration to improve and maintain industrial relations, working conditions and the working environment to place individuals seeking jobs in suitable employment, and to provide career guidance and counselling.
Child Care and Protection Services was allocated $248.7M to essentially provide for the basic needs of children that are not being met by their parents, guardians and other primary care givers.
These services will also better cater for those children who have been made vulnerable by inadequate parental care and child abuse, the expanded Mahaica children’s home is set to be opened this year. One hundred boys and girls stand to benefit from the expanded structure.
Capital expenditure for the Ministry has seen $180.3M allocated for capital projects.
Funds have been allocated to facilitate the move of the Ministry to Lamaha and East Streets where the Minister of Human Services Jennifer Webster, the Permanent Secretary, Director of Social Services and a major complement of the staffing for this sector will be relocated.
Funding has also been allocated towards the Palms Geriatric Home along with funding for the Trafficking in Persons Unit.
Questions directed towards the triple sector sought information regarding the review of the listing of details on pensioners in Guyana and work towards addressing delayed payments of pensioners in outlying areas.
Information forthcoming from the Opposition benches revealed that a programme of networking with the expanding banking systems into rural areas along with the Amerindian Ministry will ensure that this difficulty will be overcome.
The original bid to cut the funding for the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) was apparently discarded since the issue was not raised. AFC members commended the programme after seeking and receiving information on the amount of training provided through the BIT project.
It was also revealed that an unemployed labour market information centre has been established which is working towards reducing unemployment statistics.
In 2013, a substantial effort will be made to create an effective labour market clearing house, with which job seekers can register their interest in finding employment, employers register their recruitment needs, and the agency perform a proactive matching service. Efforts will also be made to decentralise the services of the agency, especially by the use of technology.
For this purpose, an amount of $52 million has been provided in the budget to strengthen the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) and to promote its capacity to ensure equal opportunity for all in the labour market.
In 2013, an amount of $54 million has been provided to complete and operationalise the Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration at Onverwagt for the benefit of 180 street dwellers.
Catering for the elderly, a 25% increase now brings the pension to $12,500 per month, with effect from May 1, 2013. The annual impact of this increase would result in an additional $1.3 billion of disposable income being placed in the hands of 42,500 senior citizens, and will bring the overall old age pension bill to a total of $6 billion in 2013.
In addition, with effect from 2013, Government will provide each old age pensioner with assistance of up to $20,000 per annum to pay GPL for electricity charges incurred. This assistance will reduce the electricity charges that will have to be met by each pensioner who is a GPL customer, and will have the effect of increasing the disposable income of the senior citizen population by a further $590 million per annum. (GINA)