Labour Ministry Holds Information Fair in Tivoli Gardens

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security continued its social interventions in West Kingston, with a Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) Day Information Fair, at the Tivoli Gardens community centre, on Wednesday (August 4).
The initiative, announced by the Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, following the recent unrest in West Kingston, aims to facilitate social mobility and empowerment of affected individuals, by sensitising them on the range of services accessible through various relevant Government agencies and programmes.
The fair comprised break-out sessions and information booths manned by personnel from several agencies and entities, including PATH , National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, Steps To Work, Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) office, Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL), National Youth Service (NYS) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew
Gallimore (centre), converses with two residents of Tivoli Gardens, West
Kingston, during the Ministry’s Programme of Advancement Through Health and
Education (PATH) Day Information Fair at the Tivoli Gardens community centre
on Wednesday (August 4).

Guest speaker, Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, urged the residents to take advantage of the opportunities afforded them through the fair and other undertakings, in order to enhance their lives.
“I know that the people in Tivoli Gardens have gone through a very tough experience, recently. I don’t think there is anybody in Jamaica who would want to go through what you have been through. What we have here today, with all these agencies coming here, is a targeted intervention, trying to show the members of the community where assistance is available through different agencies in government,” he said.
“We figured that with all that you have been through, and given the fact that we know that people here need assistance, that we should bring these agencies right here to your doorstep, to open our arms to you (and) to say to you ‘we know that you need help, and help is available’,” he said
Noting the provisions available under PATH, Mr. Gallimore said the administration had successfully increased the number of beneficiaries from 245,000 to 340,000, adding that the Ministry was hoping to reach the target of 360,000 Jamaicans registered with the programme by the end of the year.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew
Gallimore (left), engages a resident of Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston, in
conversation during the Ministry’s Programme of Advancement Through Health
and Education (PATH) Day Information Fair at the Tivoli Gardens community
centre on Wednesday (August 4).

Pointing to the success of the first PATH Day in Denham Town last week, Mr. Gallimore said one of the positives was the over 150 residents who registered with the RGD for birth certificates, and urged members of the Tivoli community to do likewise, whether or not they were able to pay for the service.
Community PATH Day activities are also slated to be held in Hannah Town and Fletcher’s Land over the next few weeks.