As the end of the year approaches, we expect that the government ministries and agencies are preparing to hold their annual self-aggrandizement exercises during which they will trot out for the invited media all of their ‘successes’ over the past 12 months. No doubt among them will be the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, which has begun or may have completed its unpublicized move from its former dismal offices at Cornhill Street near the Guyana Fire Service, to a refurbished building once occupied by the Guyana Revenue Authority on Lamaha Street.
Considering that it is perhaps the ministry that sees the most foot traffic year round, it was inconsiderate of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security not to have announced its move in advance in every media possible. But perhaps it means to hold a big ribbon-cutting, opening ceremony at some point. Maybe it has forgotten that the persons seeking its welfare, probation and other services do so because they have no other option and really should not be placed in a position where they have to visit the old building only to find out that they must now make their way to the new one.
It is likely to list the timely distribution of old age pension books as among its achievements. However, the hits on the Post Office branches where old age pensions are paid on certain given days detracts from this. The latest robbery was at the Beterverwagting Post Office on Tuesday last. According to reports, armed bandits stormed the facility and carted off some $3 million in cash, which leaves a section of the pensionable population in possession of vouchers and no cash until other arrangements can be made.
Given all of the calls over the years for a move towards a less cash-based society, the ministry might have done well to initiate a system whereby vendors of goods and services were able to accept pension vouchers—accompanied of course by the necessary identification—as payment and perhaps even offer minimal sums as cash back. This would end the long lines and lengthy waits at post offices on pension payment days as well as the opportunity for armed robberies at these facilities.
The Human Services Ministry may choose not to highlight its orphanages programme, particularly given the debacle at the Camal Home late last year, where three young girls who were resident there were made to ‘live’ at a police station for almost a month. And there is the fact that its investigation into the home and recommendations on the way forward have never been made public despite promises to do so.
Instead, the ministry may choose to celebrate the attaining of Masters degrees by some of its staff members. Under a facility initiated by Ms Priya Manickchand when she was at the helm of that ministry, 13 Guyanese employees of the Ministries of Education and Human Services attained advanced degrees in the disciplines of Counselling and Psychology, Expressive Therapies and Mindfulness Studies.
One hopes that the Guyanese who graduated in May this year, are being allowed to use the skills they would have acquired and advance the theories they would have been privy to in their efforts to better serve the people of Guyana.
One would hope too that the situation which prevailed at the old building, where open areas and cubicles allowed for a total lack of confidentiality, has been rectified. The new building ought to have a few counselling rooms at least where social workers can interview prospective clients and where the clients’ health, marital and financial status, among others, can remain on a need to know basis. We can but hope that the move to a new building sees an improvement in the services offered.
As we have said in this column ad nauseam and repeat here at the risk of being ignored once again, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry really should be delinked from the Ministry of Labour. The argument put forward by government in the past that they both deal with the country’s human resources just can’t wash any longer. The welfare, probation and child services which the ministry offers are more than huge enough to warrant their own ministry. This ministry now also deals with trafficking in persons. On the other hand, there are more than enough union/employer and employer/employee grievances to keep the labour component busy on its own, along with an alarming rise in workplace safety and health matters.
