Senate Approves Resolution to Reduce Registration Fees

The Senate yesterday (February 29), approved a Resolution to amend the Early Childhood (Amendment) Regulations, 2008, in order to effect the reduction of the fees charged by the Early Childhood Commission.Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne pointed out that the cost for the registration of early childhood institutions has been reduced from $3,000 to $1,500.
She also informed that fees charged by the Fire Department would be reduced from $2,500 to $1,500 and that a food handler’s permit would be reduced from $500 to $300.
An additional amendment, which would give the Minister the discretion to waive or limit in whole or in part, any fee payable under the regulations, has also been added.
“These reductions will go a long way in assisting early childhood institutions to meet the registration requirements,” Senator Lightbourne said.In the meantime, Opposition Senator, Norman Grant supported the move by the Government to reduce the cost of fees charged by the Early Childhood Commission.
“(I do this) against the background as it relates to the whole question of the transformation in education and certainly, I think that is where it should start, the early childhood level,” Senator Grant said.
The Early Childhood Act, which was passed in 2003, and its attendant Regulations (2005), govern the operations of the Early Childhood institutions in the country.
This Act and the Regulations outline the minimum operating standards that all Early Childhood institutions must achieve, in order to ensure that all children have equity and access to quality early childhood development programmes within healthy, safe and nurturing environments.