$81 Million To Support Social Protection Strategy Project

A sum of $81 million has been allocated in the 2021/22 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives, towards the continuation of the Integrated Support to the Jamaica Social Protection Strategy project.

The initiative is being implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

It aims to support, protect and promote the human capital accumulation of the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) beneficiaries.

It also seeks to strengthen the overall capacity of and to improve quality and access to the network of social services provided by the Ministry to the poor and vulnerable population.

The allocation for this year will go towards implementing a client management information system, equipping and modernising the Social Security Services Division, and completing the tracer study on PATH beneficiaries.

Up to December 30, there had been payment of conditional cash transfers to PATH beneficiaries; PATH rates increased by an average of 17 per cent as recommended under the Benefit Review Mechanism; parent training workshops had been completed with over 1,400 families; and alternative payment options had been introduced to over 1,600 beneficiary families in Clarendon, Manchester and St. Catherine.

In addition, the project launched the Community Engagement Series (CES), which targeted marginalised rural communities; rolled out an On the Job Training Programme for beneficiaries; established five satellite locations; public assistance service areas automated, such as funeral grant applications; and a document management information system has been implemented to improve efficiencies, for example the archiving of National Insurance Scheme records.