Reform of Path to Provide Greater Benefits – Minister

The Government is assuring that the “significant” reform of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) will result in greater benefits to its clients.

According to Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., an evaluation of the programme is under way, looking at how it has worked over the years, how it is working now, and “how it should be moving towards 2050”.

“This is to see what we need to do to make adjustments in the selection process, in the delivery of service process, to ensure that we are not just creating a cycle of persons, generation after generation, that are relying on the Government,” he said, during a recent meeting with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) General Manager, Caribbean Country Department, Anton Edwards, at the Ministry in Kingston.

The Minister pointed out that the Government wants to give families “substantive support that moves them to economic independence”, noting that the Administration is also crafting policies to deal with the “rapid changes” in the workforce.

“We need to find ways to promote sustainable employment to prepare our people for what the future holds, making sure that there are initiatives to connect job opportunities to development needs, and to define the kind of trajectory for our workforce,” he said.

The PATH programme focuses on vulnerable Jamaicans by supporting young, pregnant and nursing women and elderly members of low-income households to take advantage of preventive health services provided by Government at healthcare facilities, and also assists with educational support.

Jamaica has been a member of the IDB since 1969.

The organisation is actively supporting Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, in various development initiatives.

The Integrated Support to Jamaica Social Protection Strategy is one such initiative, aimed at strengthening the nation’s social protection mechanisms.