Thirty-Two (32) Boards of Guardians will be installed across the ten administrative regions for a period of one year. The boards, which became effective from March 1, will guide the government’s Public Assistance Programme.
This was announced by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at a recent post-Cabinet press briefing , the Department of Public Information (DPI) has reported.
Minister Harmon explained that the boards will be responsible for reviewing requests for public assistance. These assessments will be guided by the Poor Release Act and will consider the socio-economic circumstances of individuals.
The minister added that the boards will provide “safety-net” programmes that promote self-sufficiency for persons receiving public assistance, DPI said.
The Boards of Guardians are mandated to evaluate and determine the legitimacy of the Public Assistance applications across the country and to ensure that taxpayers’ dollars are justly spent.
Board members are appointed by the Minister of Social Protection in accordance with the Pension Ordinances, Chapters 36:02 and 36:03 respectively. Members are selected from communities within the regions.
