‘FOOD ASSISTANCE COSTS TOO MUCH’: Obie questions why aid programme bill is $800k per week

MINISTER of Social Services and Urban Development Obie Wilchcombe with Lisa Rahming, Minister of State for the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

As of Thursday, September 30, 2021

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe has questioned spending related to the government’s National Food Distribution initiative as his ministry prepares to take over the programme.

The National Food Distribution Task Force’s work is set to soon come to an end and Mr Wilchcombe said his ministry is working to move with “haste” to introduce a new food programme “as soon as possible”.

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“So as far as the food programme is concerned, it comes to an end and then we have to absorb the individuals. I just don’t understand why we’re spending 800 plus thousand dollars a week. I have a difficulty with that and they’re buying through a second hand while it makes more sense to have warehouses of food and cause for the distribution and we can buy them directly from the manufacturers or the producers of the factories.

“Why are we spending an incredible amount of money going through second and third parties when it’s causing the state so much and still not getting as many people the food as I’d like them to have?

“Seventeen thousand we’re told were fed, my thinking is you have much more than that who are suffering and so we have to find a better way to do it.”

Susan Larson, chair of the task force, previously revealed that the Department of Social Service will be taking over the programme on October 4 but the minister said he was not certain about that date.

“I know whatever is continuing today will continue because I think some food stamps have been issued already and people are going to be able to use those vouchers and go to the food stores and get (food) but in the meantime we are going to be introducing a new programme, so we are going to work assiduously to cause that to happen as quickly as possible.”

Asked when the new programme will be rolled out, he said “hopefully we’ll have something done within two weeks.”

Mr Wilchcombe also said he is committed to bringing positive change to the country’s needy as soon as possible. He said his ministry wants to help homeless people find short-term housing as well assist them in gaining employment so they can transition to independence.

On the issue of his ministry giving out rental assistance, Mr Wilchcombe said the response time was taking “too long.”

“We would discuss with the acting director, people would call and ask for assistance and it takes a long period of time to get assistance and we want to reduce that. We’re going to put in place a timeframe to reduce the response time because the difficulty we’re having is people are hurting they don’t have tomorrow, they have today.”

The minister told reporters that he was briefed that $14 million of his ministry’s budget has been spent so far and $10 million of that went to the food programme.

Asked if he believed there was an adequate budget right now, the minister answered: “We’ll always need more, but we have to work with what we have given where we are in this country.

“We’re not going to pretend as if we don’t have COVID, we don’t have global issues, we don’t have economic problems. We do and so we have to work with it but it just tells me we have to be more efficient in the delivering of the service.”

He spoke to reporters after he and Minister of State for Social Services and Urban Development Lisa Rahming met with Urban Renewal representatives and toured Department of Social Services offices.

Mr Wilchcombe said the Davis administration wants to expand the Urban Renewal programme. Of his plans for this initiative, he said: “When we look at what’s wrong in our inner-city, when we look at what’s wrong in our urban areas, we have some work to do. We should have more green space, some buildings ought to be moved and we’re going to get rid of all these vehicles that are sitting there and should have been taken away a long time ago. . .we’re going to make the area much more cleaner, make the environment better. . .we’re going to introduce more programmes for young people—yes we have the bands, but I want to see young children after school going to dance lessons. I want to see them going to sporting events. . .participate in art and culture. I want to see them being more occupied, so let’s keep their mind occupied so that they’ll move away from the negativity.”

He said Ms Rahming will oversee the Urban Renewal programme.

tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago

Wilchcombe said, "I have a difficulty with that and they’re buying through a second hand while it makes more sense to have warehouses of food and cause for the distribution and we can buy them directly from the manufacturers or the producers of the factories."

And Wilchcombe went on to say, “Why are we spending an incredible amount of money going through second and third parties when it’s causing the state so much and still not getting as many people the food as I’d like them to have?"

No doubt Obie and his friends who either now own or are about to own plenty of warehouse space clearly see an opportunity to channel into their own pockets some of the government funds currently going towards meeting the overall costs of the food assistance programme.

Yup. Obie's another one who needs to be watched very carefully because of his past record in ignoring conflicts of interest as a government minister. LMAO

LivinginParadise 3 years, 2 months ago

Let's see. Seventeen thousand recipients of food aid. Not sure if those are heads of households (with more than one mouth to feed) or individuals. Assume individuals. The Minister is incredulous that "800 plus thousand dollars a week" is being spent on food aid. $800,000 divided by 17,000 is just $47.05 a week. Although the food aid recipients likely have other sources of funds, $47.05 does not seem like a lot. Am I missing something or maybe the Minister's weekly grocery bill is that low?!

OMG 3 years, 2 months ago

Like the Laptops sent for HOD' in government High Schools, half of which disappeared with the teachers you can be sure that any warehouse will be stocked using a PLP supplier and much of it will go "missing" before it even gets to those that need it. Nothing new as cronyism and inefficiency go hand in hand with all governments.

joeblow 3 years, 2 months ago

... even worse, we are essentially a socialist state with "democratically held elections". The over dependence on the government to address individual needs is unsustainable. We cannot continue to borrow to keep the civil service employed, give "free" healthcare, antenatal care, free vaccinations and medications for a population with a high level of non-communicable diseases without the economy imploding!

Governments responsibility is to provide an environment that allows businesses to flourish, educate people on their responsibilities and allow individuals to make their own financial choices. This current model is unsustainable!

Dawes 3 years, 2 months ago

$800,000 per week on 17,000 people is $47.06 per person. THats a pretty good deal if they are getting all the food they need. If its just some flour and a tin of corned beef thats not a good deal.

killemwitdakno 3 years, 2 months ago

Exactly, I thought it was cut already. This is where they start the cutting?

benniesun 3 years, 2 months ago

"American Heritage Dictionary

evil [+] e·vil (ēʹvəl) n. 1. The quality of being morally bad or wrong; wickedness. 2. That which causes harm, misfortune, or destruction: 3. An evil force, power, or personification. 4. Something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction:"

Bahamians do evil to each other very nonchalantly and apparently with little or no thought of consequences. The examples are just too many eg giving a contract to feed down and out pandemic affected people to a 'rich chick' in the west who apparently knows nothing about proper nutrition and apparently does not give two cents about those she was contracted to feed. Then there are those of us who were never affected by the pandemic -kept their cushy jobs and pay - yet through connections got more and better food than those who truly needed it. We coddle and front for foreigners thereby denying Bahamians opportunities. Perpetrating an evil against another Bahamian is like perpetrating an evil against your arm or your foot which is self hatred - we are all parts of one body. The most evil among us are the politicians, as they have greedily committed us and all of our descendants to a life of servitude in the hands of the local arrogant oligarchy and international banksters.

tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago

Couldn't agree more with you.

Proguing 3 years, 2 months ago

Any news on the VAT reduction? I want to buy a new car and I am waiting for VAT to be lowered to 10%.

tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago

Dream on!

KapunkleUp 3 years, 2 months ago

Better buy it now before VAT goes UP.

tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago

Got that right! LMAO

The_Oracle 3 years, 2 months ago

5 year cycle, reinvent the wheel every damn time. Zero Learning curve retained for the cost. Social services was and is a joke, good for some, useless for others.

TigerB 3 years, 2 months ago

This is the problem, we watch the news over the months as persons get on long lines being issues food vouchers and a bunch of other checks (NIB).. but they still turn around and kick the gubmon in he butt. The Opposition bash them to , they didn't understand. They said Dorian and COVID was no excuse. Well they should be happy now, we out of the worst of it. Perhaps now they can cut down the food vouchers. Places are open and people working... wasn't like that eight ten months ago. More importantly the money is accounted for by Social Services themselves.

newcitizen 3 years, 2 months ago

Obie thinks that spending a little less than $6.75 a day for someone to eat is too much.

How low does he think he can get that number? He'll of course end up giving just the cost of the food after taking over the initiative, and pay government employees (instead of the hundreds of volunteeers now working) to run it which will never be included in his total. In the end, Obie will cost us far more that $6.75 a person per day, and Obie and his friends will have a brand new warehouse and import business.

ohdrap4 3 years, 2 months ago

SLICED BREAD : (HALF A BAG) 1.60 2 CANS OF TUNA : 2.00 1/4 PACK OF BUTTER: 0.70 1 BOX LONG LIFE MILK: 1.79 STOLEN TEA BAG FROM WORK: FREE 4 MINTS FOR DESSERT: 0.60

TOTAL: 6.69. Feeds 4. You have change.

When you need a lttle something extra, go to the bank and look for cookies and mints.

Now this does not include chef boyardee, but that is luxury food.

tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago

And for most poor Bahamians it's the medical bills or inability to access quality medical care that quickly kills them from such a limited and unhealthy concentrated diet, e.g. mercury poisoning from too much canned tuna, hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure from all of that fat in butter, etc., etc.

TalRussell 3 years, 2 months ago

In the meanwhile, AG Ryan has agreed Obedadiah's request and everthing like that be brungin' Dog the Bounty Hunter be closin'in on the whereabouts the groceries weekly spending $800 thousands+ and everything like that OBAN gone missin' file, - Yes?

Future 3 years, 2 months ago

DAMN FOOLS!!!!!! THEY ALREADY GAVE YOU YOUR BELLY FULL AND DRUNK FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS. THE SALE OF YOUR VOTE HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL. DEY DON’T OWE YOU NUTTIN! GROW FOOD ON ALL THE LAND. that’s what the party they shut down was offering, along with a new branch of the police force consisting of hundreds more. Applicants would have been tested by now and started training. Also mulching of all growth debris to put on floors of chicken coops so big bulldozers needed to clean them. That mixture used to fertilize fruit trees and veggies. Leftover parts from chicken and cattle used to make dog and cat food. Fruit and fruit juice cannery because so many trees all over the Bahamas. Look on watts app for the marijuana plan. Contact FPDIP4LIFE@gmail.com if you want more information.

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