THE Ministry of Social Protection will be establishing a structured monitoring and evaluation mechanism for the benevolent centres under its purview, specifically the Hugo Chavez Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration, the Mahaica Children’s Home and the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI).Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence noted that monitoring and evaluation is a big issue within the different agencies that fall under the ministry. However, where the necessity exists for a monitoring and evaluation department, it will be established.

Minister Lawrence was at the time visiting these facilities, and took the opportunity to interact with staff and occupants.

At the Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration, located at Onverwagt in Region Five, Minister Lawrence pointed out that at present there is no mechanism in place to enlist occupants.

“We have been looking to find some contractual arrangement between the Guyana Government and the Government of Venezuela and we have not been able to find those documents.

We are discussing partnering with a number of ministries, such as the Indigenous People’s Affairs, Public Health, and work with the persons from Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). We believe that if we collaborate with other partners we will be able to fill the place with persons who really need this type of care,” Minister Lawrence explained.

With regard to the Night Shelter at East La Penitence, Georgetown, the Minister said she will be visiting the facility shortly. In the interim, the Ministry will be looking at employing a Psychologist who can evaluate persons from the Shelter and the Palms with the view to their taking up residence at the Hugo Chavez Centre.

“There is much left to be desired here…we have heard from the residents that they are here and treated like children…the residents themselves are begging for some sort of programme where they can utilise their energy and learn a skill,” the minister lamented.

She said the ministry has a lot of work to do because “we cannot continue to have a building like this and not being able to fulfil the mandate in which it was setup for.” The building is well structured, she said, and the ministry now has to work to implement a plan to ensure persons are properly evaluated and reintegrated into society.

The $420M Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration is a collaborative venture between the Governments of Guyana and Venezuela. It is equipped with two dormitories, an administrative building which houses a training centre, library, and an infirmary and rooms for persons with communicable diseases and disabilities.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Protection will redesign the GWLI’s agenda to provide programmes for women, thereby, making them more marketable.
The children’s home at Mahaica will also be refurbished. (GINA)