Social Security Minister promises overhaul of PATH

 

Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr. has given a commitment for the complete overhaul of the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH).

 

Minister Charles has previously admitted that the current framework of the programme has a number of issues that need to be resolved.

 

The Social Security Minister says two technical working groups have been established to move the process along. 

 

"One of the technical working groups will be reviewing and providing recommendations based on the technical design of PATH, and the other technical working group is going to be focusing now on providing strategic guidance after reassessing the general rules that relate to PATH, meaning the rules as you know," the minister advised.  

 

Once that is done, Mr. Charles said a steering committee will be set up to axaine and determine the next step for PATH. 

 

The minister said the process of determining who should be receiving PATH benefits has come in for severe criticism and needs refining. 

 

"The next thing is the monitoring and evaluation of PATH. So if I don't get on, what's the time that I should expect for verification if I do and for assessment if I am not on? And how are we monitoring and evaluating the process itself? The next thing is the technology that is utilised in operating the PATH programme. And these are things again that we have heard, not just from clients, who are you, but also from our staff," he added. 

 

He was addressing the second in a series of Town Halls on PATH in May Pen, Clarendon on Wednesday. 

 

Meanwhile, PATH beneficiaries are to see increases in the conditional cash grant.

 

Some $10 billion has been programmed in the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Social Security for the programme during the upcoming fiscal year.

 

The Social Security Ministry said the increase will ensure the grant meets the current needs of the beneficiaries.

 

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Collette Roberts Risden said the technocrats are reviewing the figures. 

 

"In a matter of months, our beneficiaries will be very happy with the increases that will come. We're working out those final numbers and I think it would be a bit premature. But suffice it to say, our beneficiaries will see an increase in another few months in the year," she disclosed.