The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services (MSDFS) continues its aggressive campaign to get social services to the doorsteps of citizens in T&T. Since the launch of the Ministry’s Social Outreach and Impact Caravan, on August 30, at the Palo Seco Community Centre, in excess of a dozen communities have already benefited from having Government Services available to them. These communities include Fyzabad, San Fernando, Point Fortin, Cedros, Sangre Grande, Cumana, Toco, Diego Martin and Carenage, Valencia, Manzanilla, Guaico Tamana, and Morvant, Port-of-Spain.
The Caravan would continue within Port-of-Spain and environs until the end of this month, and at other locations during December.
Among the various ministries and agencies that had been joining the Caravan are Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development, Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Ministry of Public Utilities, WASA, T&TEC, Central Bank Financial Ombudsman Services, Gender and Child Division of the Office of the Prime Minister, the National Self Help Commission, the National Crime Prevention Programme, Ministry of Housing and the Housing Development Corporation, Ministry of Agriculture and Namdevco, Land and Settlement Agency, the Children’s Authority, TTAHI, ALTA, MIC, YTEPP and the National Training Agency, as well as many others. Free testing of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol had also been made available by the Regional Health Authorities.
Attendees had the opportunity to interact with the representatives from the various ministries and agencies identified above. The Caravan experience had been developed based on a Whole of Government Approach – “Through One Door” for a “One Stop Shop.”
In addition to the Caravan, the MSDFS continues to support other agencies and organisations identified above. Information and access to social services have been made available at a recently held “Meet your Home” Project which was hosted by the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation on November 12 and, following this, a Health and Wellness Fair hosted by Venture Credit Union at their Head Office in Couva, on November 13.
As the MSDFS continues its drive to inform, educate, engage and empower, it wishes to announce that distribution for the New Food Support Debit Card will commence soon. For further details, continue checking the press.