IN a significant move to enhance social welfare, Senior Minister, Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh, revealed a budget allocation of $48.3 billion for various initiatives under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security during the 2024 budget presentation.

The budget includes $287 million earmarked for the creation of safe spaces and improved care facilities for working parents, particularly single parents. Two day and night care centres will be constructed in Regions Three and Four, alongside the rehabilitation of the Sophia Care Centre and Mahaica Children’s Home. An additional 123 facilities will be licensed in 2024, complementing the 308-day care facilities licensed in 2023.

Home-based care for over 6,000 elderly persons in various regions will see an expansion, benefiting 8,500 individuals in 2024. Through the Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN), 736 persons were trained to provide care to senior citizens across all regions. A new care home for senior citizens in Enmore, East Coast Demerara, will receive $172 million in funding.

Old age pension (OAP) witnesses an increase from $33,000 to $36,000 monthly, injecting an additional $2.7 billion of disposable income into the hands of 76,000 pensioners. Public Assistance has risen from $16,000 in 2022 to $19,000 monthly, effective January 01, 2024.

Training initiatives for persons with disabilities include job access with speech and computer skills, benefiting 98 individuals in 2023, with an additional 396 expected to receive training in 2024. Nine buses, procured in 2023, aimed at facilitating transportation for persons with disabilities, will be delivered this year.

A significant initiative involves providing $3,000 vouchers toward eye tests for over 205,000 school children and 76,000 pensioners. Those requiring spectacles will receive a $15,000 voucher, with an estimated cost of $955 million.

Continuing their commitment to empower women, the government has undertaken initiatives such as training 4,562 women under WIIN and Board of Industrial Training programmes. Additionally, 5,731 women were awarded scholarships for academic training through GOAL, with plans to train an additional 10,900 women in 2024.

Women aged 21 to 65 will receive an $8,000 voucher to cover the cost of cervical cancer testing, amounting to an estimated $2.8 billion. Business support includes the registration of 225 women’s businesses, with another 700 expected to benefit in 2024. Start-up business kits will be provided to new entrepreneurs.

The government plans to train 3,000 individuals in social inclusion and gender mainstreaming programmes in 2024. A Shared Responsibility Campaign has been launched to combat gender stereotyping and negative cultural attitudes, aiming for societal change.

Upgrades to two domestic violence shelters in Regions Two and Six, legal aid services, and sensitisation training have been prioritised. Over 10,500 individuals were trained on sexual offenses and domestic violence prevention in various regions, with continued efforts planned for 2024.

Victims of human trafficking and vulnerable migrants receive support services and sensitisation on Trafficking In Persons (TIP). The ministry’s hotline, 592 STOP, facilitated by Spanish and Portuguese responders, is a crucial resource for those in need. Collaborating with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the government provided shelter, counselling, and legal aid services to over 385 survivors, with ongoing support planned for 2024.