‘It doesn’t matter how big or small you are, we’re going to come after you’ – Minister Lawrence warns
Delinquent parents who neglect their children will this year be under close scrutiny by the Social Protection Ministry, especially fathers who fail to provide financial support to their offspring.
Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence sounded this warning during her address to members of the newly-appointed East Bank Local Board of Guardians.
She pointed out during her address that many absent fathers have left the State to provide for their children.
“Everyone will face the consequence – the law. The State cannot be burdened when a parent or parents have the means of taking care of their children and they choose not to do so. It doesn’t matter how big or small you are, we’re going to come after you,” she was quoted as saying in a report in today’s Guyana Times.
Minister Lawrence observed that there were many instances where women were afraid to seek financial support owing to the “abusive behaviour” of some men.
The Minister emphasised that there were genuine cases where parents were unable to provide for their children, and further noted that the Ministry was prepared to support those families. She, however, cautioned that it was “unfair to use taxpayers’ money to support children whose parents can afford to take care of them”.
According to Lawrence, there are some cases of the “dependency syndrome” whereby people are reluctant to seek alternative sources of income. She posited that this year would see the Ministry taking a different approach to social protection.
“We will teach people to help themselves…We’re going to work to ensure that this is the last year for Public Assistance. We are working to introduce conditional cash transfer. In that way, we focus on the family. The objective is to bring people out of poverty. When persons come into any agency/department of the Ministry, a comprehensive evaluation will be done to see how the family is lacking and we will support that family in those areas. We believe that Public Assistance doesn’t capture the family, but the conditional cash transfer will,” Lawrence said.
She pointed out that “everybody has potential”, but admitted that there was a lack of opportunities. The Minister urged the Board to work along with religious leaders in the communities to further support families.
The East Bank Local Board of Guardians is one of the groups that have been installed across the country effective February 1, 2016 to process Public Assistance applications.
“Public Assistance is a form of temporary financial assistance issued by the Government of Guyana to specific persons, including the aged, infirmed, sick, destitute and children below the age of 14,” the Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
It was also noted that each monthly Public Assistance voucher is valued $6500. The Boards are responsible for evaluating and determining the legitimacy of Public Assistance applications in rural areas to ensure that taxpayers’ dollars are justifiably spent.
The members of the East Bank Board are Roderick Edinboro, Alma Francois-Bovell, Fannett Brandford, Loraine Stephens, Mark Braithwaite, and Deryck Boyce.
i agree all fathers who fails to take responsibility to provide for their children’s` needs should be severely penalised.
any representatives from the ministry visits these single parent household to verify the finances paid as child support are to used to the fullest of benefit to the children affected in such circumstances.
I would want to know ,what happens to those mothers who collects monies thru the court for child support and spend it on themselves instead of satisfying the child or children welfare.
finally finally after all these years I have been saying about the crime in this country is coming from fathers who don’t look after their children and leave them to grow up angry and hateful towards society and turning to robbing people to get what the never had its about time the fathers start to pay, this god sent minister has done something so great for this country that if the enforce it properly and let all the women who is suffering to call in with details, this country will clean up itself very soon, children with proper fathers and mothers don’t robb people and litter the country god bless minister volda Lawrence all her life .
I applaud this effort. But how will the State go after fathers who live abroad . Many students are forced to drop out of school, because the mothers cannot afford their bus fare snacks, deodorant, sanitary napkins . A law should be put in place that fathers sign a legal document that will bind them to financially provide for their children until they reach the age of 18 before they leave this country to take up residency in a next country.
That means a working landline telephone number. An address. An email
Children should not have to worry , where their next meal is coming from.
Did you say Roderick Edinboro?, the one who was fired from City Hall. Well well what a day, PNC in full gear….
Why don’t you tell that to the City Mayor and his Councillors and PNC hacks who produced basters children. Of course not taking care of them. Could name you a long list.
The photo tells it all take a good look–85% of the picnic born out a wedlock–no different than USA and dem want other ppl to pay to raise dem–this program is a joke –are they going to lock dem up for not paying. The pres will pardon dem and de know it.There we go take hardworking ppl money and give it to those useless “picnic father” and dumb mama.
Get all dem child faddas to pay child support.
SO here we are COPING another System USA/CANADA has without feasibility studies….These DUNCES of ministers Guyana has are a pack of Jokers…They come to the USA and CANADA and see ways how the government uses Child support payments to tax working separated parents so they run back and implement it…Same non-sense they did with the paid parking garbage…This government has no skills…they just copy and implement. Like HELLO….both parents are equally responsible for raising a child…In Guyana 90% the time ONLY the father works so he will get penalized the most? This is a sexist bias ruling….In north america, the way it works – Both parents salary they divide it by 2 and take a % on both to support the child….However, the government take a tax…and I believe these crooks -since they do not have economic skills…will implement so much tax that the Guyanese public will get killed…they will soon pay tax to walk on the street or go to the latrin….What a shame on this PNC regime….implement ALL the USA?Canada? see and copy style…no new brains to the table…..