Social Workers to Conduct Assessment in West Kingston Communities

The Government of Jamaica will be undertaking a social survey in West Kingston to determine needs, as it moves to restore normality to communities affected by the ongoing security operation.
More than 100 social workers from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Social Development Commission (SDC) will be engaged in the exercise, which will be carried out in Tivoli Gardens, Hannah Town, Denham Town, Fletchers Land, and surrounding communities.
The Labour Ministry said that the objectives of the investigation will be to assess the level of dislocation to families, damage to homes, business and property, and loss of income arising from the security exercise. The situation relating to children will also be a major focus of the social survey.
The social workers will be engaged in information-gathering over the next three days, and a report will be submitted to Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding, on Friday (June 4).
Following these assessments, appropriate support will be provided by the Government to enable early restoration of order to the affected communities.

Social Workers from the Social Development Commission and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security assemble, in Tivoli Gardens yesterday (June 1) before being dispatched to West Kingston communities, where they will conduct a social survey. The objectives of the three-day survey is to assess the level of dislocation to families and to gather information that will assist the Government in providing appropriate support to the residents.

On Monday (May 31), the teams were briefed by the Permanent Secretary in the Labour Ministry, Alvin McIntosh, and were reminded of the need to conduct themselves professionally in the execution of their duties and not to engage in any form of judgmental exchanges.
The social survey is a joint effort between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.