HEALTHCARE providers, police officers, and other officers within the joint services, are among a number of category of workers that will be eligible to benefit from a “Childcare Assistance Programme” that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) is planning to roll out shortly.
The pilot programme will see the ministry covering the payments to childcare facilities that care for the children of those persons who qualify for the assistance. The programme is open to the relevant frontline workers both in the public and private sectors.

“It will be available to frontline workers with children who are below the age of seven and the direct payment will only be made to licensed childcare facilities. The category of workers that can benefit from this programme will include all healthcare workers, police officers, prison officers, fire service officers, security officers and army officers,” Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Vindhya Persaud, informed during a virtual press conference last Monday.

The minister said that applications form for the programme will be sent to the relevant employers, while it will also be made available for download on the ministry’s website. The criteria and other relevant information will be listed.

Persaud noted that as the programme develops the ministry will re-visit to look at the possibility of widening the scope of persons to which it is offered.
“This project is a pilot and if not before the end of the year, then very early next year we will look at how we can expand it,” the minister said.
The minister said that the ministry is trying to do whatever little it can to assist those who are doing so much for the nation.

“We are giving packages for essential workers. I want to thank those workers going out every day under challenging circumstances and risking their lives to deliver services to all of us across Guyana,” Minister Persaud said.