The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe said his ministry is spending $1.3m each month on social assistance for 11,300 people and he expects this number to grow.

At the same time, he said there is also a growing number of requests from people for places to live.

“We are now responsible for 11,300 per month and we are spending about $1.3m per month ensuring that those who are in need are being taken care of,” the minister told reporters yesterday outside the House of Assembly.

“I think it is imperative to appreciate that the number will grow, we expect it to grow and no one is going to be left out. The Prime Minister has made it very clear that no one is to be left behind and so our intention as always is to ensure that every single Bahamian or individual at the present time who is in search of needs and we are going to meet those needs.

“Our greatest problem however is shelter. We’re discovering that more and more people are requiring shelter. So, we’re trying to secure additional shelter in eastern and western New Providence and also in Grand Bahama.”

When the Minnis administration’s National Food Distribution Task Force was disbanded last year, its remaining dependents were absorbed by the Department of Social Services.

Initially there were 18,000 families or 72,000 individuals depending on assistance through the task force.

The minister said the number fell drastically because times were different at the height of the pandemic.

“I think the circumstances were different. There were many because of the curfew, many because of the closures were on the list at the time. I think now the number is even lower but I am sure there must be more out there because of the many who speak with me on a daily basis, but at the present time we are providing (assistance to) 11,300.”

The ministry is also in the process of providing debit cards to people on the assistance programme, but this portion of the programme ran into some delay.

“The cards are being distributed,” Mr Wilchcombe said. “We’ve had a delay because of the source that provides the cards but for the most part we’re able to keep up and when we can’t cut the cards, of course provide the voucher.

“In Grand Bahama the Promise programme that was introduced several years ago is now in Grand Bahama where individuals are applying online for their assistance.”