Raft of initiatives to improve citizens’ quality of life in 2022

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, MP, said the ministry has a host of initiatives that will improve the lives of Guyanese in the new year.

With preparations for Budget 2022 underway, Minister Persaud said many of the initiatives in train will transform the lives of all Guyanese.

“The underlying trust is one, looking at the needs that exist and also looking at how we can upgrade our services, so they are more efficient, more effective, how we can improve that, so lots of things are on the agenda,” she told DPI on Tuesday.

The minister said the objectives have their individualised purposes that will enhance the ministry’s programmes. These include adult foster care, child care and social services.

The plans will also see the implementation of new programmes that will benefit citizens of all ages. They include partnerships with businesses to create job opportunities across the country, which will enable persons to have a sustainable income.

Meanwhile, Minister Persaud said a programme will be introduced to provide intel on children’s health conditions from a tender age.

“We are looking at engaging children between the ages of zero to five, and that programme will be launched this year, and will definitely amplify and intensify next year where we are working with parents and children within that age group – looking at conditions like dyslexia, ADHD, and autism, how you can identify those things, how we can work with parents very early  to get them to screen for these things, how we can work along with children, how we can look at parents across the country with their parenting styles and skills, so we can support them.”

Apart from implementing new programmes, the ministry also intends to work closely with persons living with disabilities by equipping them with learning aids to improve their everyday livelihoods. Also, persons would be able to access programmes provided by the ministry.

Additionally, the ministry aims to decentralise its services across the country, to allow easy access to them.

Systems are also in place to have these and other services available online.