Aid for vulnerable families coming soon

Barbados TODAY on Wednesday that an announcement is to be made shortly on its official launch. Humphrey said the initiative, which aims to give comprehensive assistance to families in need, is moving “full steam ahead”, adding that additional personnel have already been engaged to help with the programme. “We would have run ads to hire more social workers and I have been told that the interviewing process is completed, and the programme is set for an official launch very soon,” he said. Regarding the selection process, Humphrey said families will be chosen mainly from existing government databases and he gave the assurance that people genuinely in need of assistance will benefit. While initially set to give aid to 1 000 families, the programme now includes 200 families with persons living with disabilities and is expected to cost $30 million to run annually. Speaking about the initiative just after it was announced by Prime Minister Mia Mottley last year, Humphrey said the Government would be requesting assistance from not only Barbadians but the wider diaspora and the business community to help fund it. At the time, he said the plan would not only seek to give money to those at risk but would provide assistance with housing and job opportunities. (JB)]]>