Gloria Shillingford praises ‘Yes We Care’ program

Shillingford said government's program for the elderly must be commended
Shillingford said government’s program for the elderly must be commended

Minister for Social Services, Community Development and Gender Affairs, Gloria Shillingford, has commended the government for the work it has done to assist the elderly in Dominica through the “Yes We Care” program.

Speaking at the 16th Inaugural Meeting of the Atkinson Village Council, Shillingford explained that the government’s program to care for the nation’s elderly is the envy of many other countries.

“Government has this flagship program, a program that many other countries envy this government for. An initiative started by our prime minister, Roosevelt Skerrit and we call this the Yes We Care program,” she said.

She added although the government is doing its part, every community has a responsibility to “look after its own.”

“The elderly have served us and served us well, some of them are now needy and vulnerable and sometimes person feel that they should not get what this government affords to them but they deserve every bit of it,” she said. “At 70 years, 65 years, 80 years you have done your task and if you can no longer do it, the rest of us who can stand strong, we have a responsibility to look after those who are weak.”

She pointed out further that the community also has a task to look after the youth.

“They might be troublesome, some of them may even be disruptive but they are our youth,” Shillingford said. “If we give up on them, who is going to look after them? So we cannot give up on them we have a responsibility also to guide them through.”

Shillingford emphasized that special care and attention should be given to the small children and warned gainst child abuse, especially child sexual abuse.

“We should stop destroying our children because when we destroy them we destroy a generation,” she noted. “Parents hold your little girls as your hand bags when you cannot see them or you cannot leave them with a responsible person, hold them with you when they are not at school, keep an eye on your children.”

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29 Comments

  1. giveitup
    March 26, 2014

    Oh my goodness Gloria, woman all you can talk about is yes we care when a lot of elderly in your community is going hungry everyday, so many children witout food they mother cannot afford it all because of you and your greedy Gov’t that is why so much child is abuse more than ever, and you telling mothers to hold thier kids closet after you help to distroy them, woman get out we need real representation and thats what we do not have from you…..give me a brake

  2. CARE
    March 26, 2014

    they must be talking about the CARE for the elderly programme in the North. CARE reaches people all over Dominica, not only REACH and both REACH and CARE, give support to the Govt ‘y… we care programme’ Ay, ay Gloria, do you really care about the many needy people the housing revolution leaving behind….

  3. Irontaytay
    March 26, 2014

    But what I hearing there with you nuh Gloria? REACH doing such a great job for years now, girl so it’s not first time you bring that to DA. ‘Yes we Care’ is good but allyou using it as a political campaign, showing inside of all those elderly people twoneigh and their gwoje. This is not nice Teacher Glo, not nice at all.

  4. FORKIT
    March 26, 2014

    doesn’t worth the comment, a non-entity

  5. mujahardin
    March 25, 2014

    It is very interesting that the red clinic program which should be managed by gloria’s ministry is being run from skerrit’s desk, and gloria has no comment on that. While skerrit is overspending red clinic money on lazy greedy laborites who gather at his office every wednesday to beg, a number of young men who have worked on cleaning the roads for months have not been paid by the government. LYING, STEALING AND INCOMPETENCE IS THE ORDER OF GOVERNANCE IN DOMINICA. Gloria go say a prayer.

  6. anonymous2
    March 25, 2014

    Why would any govt. from any country envy any other country’s program for the elderly? That is a stretch.

  7. Plan Dominque
    March 25, 2014

    Gloria the Catholic Church through its many social programmes for the elderly and needy, particularly their REACH programme were in existence long before Skeritt’s Yes We Care, if the government was mainly care about helping the elderly without attaching a political gain to the YWC it would have provided the financial assistance to REACH and many more needy persons would have been assisted in a more respectable and dignified way than what we see under the YWC programme. Seniors being paraded on the TV to boost the popularity of the DLP and its leader Skeritt. Shame

    • Views Expressed
      March 25, 2014

      Well said Plan Dominique……….The REACH programme operates a better quality programme to the elderly. Decent, professional, etc. The government advised to partner with an already established REACH, they declined.
      Play stupid politics with poor people , elderly, destitute, prostituting political games on poor families.

  8. linky
    March 25, 2014

    year in year out yen ki ca

  9. ummmm
    March 25, 2014

    How many years have you been minister responsible for this ministry??????????

    What have you done to improve the lives of the youths AND secure the environment that children are raised in here?

    What steps have you Mrs Shillingford taken – from the time you were made responsible for the Ministry of Gender affairs etc, drawing a salary every month – to ensure child molesters and the other animals were punished and preventative measures to make it near impossible for these activities to continue?

    All those years you were happy to sit back quietly.. while a few others were doing some hard work to bring awareness, while you were silent for these years do you know how many children were abused?

    Lady go back and sit down… I have had first hand experience with the welfare department and I can tell you it has been horrible and to the best of my knowledge not much has changed, since I am only hearing people talking to raise awareness but no one is saying (nor proposing) we have written this new law or legislation, we have amended the laws from this to that.. etc.

    As far as I am concerned, the welfare department needs an overhaul – starting with Ms Shillingford – social welfare obviously isn’t her forte.

    • Francisco Telemaque
      March 25, 2014

      Remind her when the police said a woman from Wesley living in Roseau, got actually beaten to death who went to the hospital on more than one occasion, complaining about the head trauma she suffered when she was viciously attacked, and the doctors kept sending her home without treatment, until she succumb to the injuries she sustained to her head.

      Remind her that Vava, called her late father Jonathan Dods (Dodds) uncle also. Ask her as a minister of government; what measures has she taken to ensure that this man who literally murdered her cousin ensuring that he is extradited from St. Lucia to Dominica; where he should answer to the charge of at least secondary degree murder for the death of my niece!

      Tell her it is one thing to be a genuine human being upholding her human dignity, rather than been a damn poppet on a string embarrassing herself and those who love her!

      She needs to give this crap up, because when it is all over and she exists into political oblivion, she will eventually return to Wesley to face the people among whom she was born.

      And that is except she decides to run away to some foreign country, as I and many has done, the difference is we who ran to greener pastures to secure our life economically can return and live comfortable in retirement, looking every villager in their face without shame, but she will forever walk with her head facing the ground unable to face the people.

      That is your fault Gloria, and you have to live with that!

      However, if you have no shame as I have none; it will not matter to you.

      Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  10. Francisco Telemaque
    March 25, 2014

    Gloria, you are beating your drums, singing your tune, and dancing to your music. If the program was so good, and helping only you know who.

    How come you have relatives in Wesley, as close to you where their, biological mother is you aunt, and your biological father is their uncle, and you walk past them unnoticed, though they have reached out g for that same government help you are boasting about, and you simply ignored them!

    Old age, is old age, if the program is working so well as you claim; how come it has not worked for your very own relatives?

    Right now you impressed me that you are either a liar, or simply an hypocrite! Charity begins at home, if you are unable to help your own flesh, and blood, how can you come here with such remarks. It seems to me you are nonfunctional, you have very little or no say in the scheme of things; happening in government, except serving only as another poppet in a circus.

    I challenge you to state on DNO what have you brought to your village of Wesley, since the people supported you and voted for you, besides the crap you talk every once in a while, people do not need to hear such crap whiles they are suffering. If you cannot do something to help your own blood relatives, how the heck you are going to help others directly, or indirectly.

    If Wesley people vote for you in this election, they would all have to be either dumb, stupid, crazy, or just plain out ignorant; and if you win, you need to get a bull-pestle and walk all over the village and whip their butt, until their epidermis is ripped from body tissue (flesh), then they could call you back-raw! (the modern day slave master)!

    You are a waste of time.

    I am yours truly, your cousin:

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque (Son).

  11. Curie
    March 25, 2014

    Why have this government not sought to build/expand and develop a care home – Where professionals provide care to the elderly… I am betting that the amount of Money spent through the yes we care programme could have built a proper care home – where the elderly and sick would be cared for and looked after 24 7. I think that would be much better than the current programme.. surely..

    Additionally it would have provided secured employment for a number of people. Chefs/cooks, cleaners, nurses, security, gardeners… etc

    I have seen the videos they do from the house to house… to elderlys in their wheelchairs being bathed at the sea and so on. Frankly I find it demeaning that the elderly are treated like this.

    They should be in a nice home, paid for by the government and the public should be encouraged to donate (families pay a small fee or whatever they can afford). That I am sure would also be less costly in the long run – particularly if the government were to use all the resources (media) that they are using now to actively encourage people to donate, cash kind or food – whatever they can.

    • Anonymous
      March 26, 2014

      Amen!!

  12. Morihei Ueshiba
    March 25, 2014

    How can you justify taking $100.00 from Sukie a man who works from 4:00am – 10:00pm every day and give to someone who is not working, if u love Yes u care so much why don’t u take the money from your salary Gloria and give to people. Don’t u think it is best you create jobs so people can take care of themselves. GeeZ! 8)

  13. JoJo
    March 25, 2014

    How can that be news? If Goria dissented or critize the programme…God forbid, now that would be news!!

  14. sue
    March 25, 2014

    Government is doing a good job. Well done Skeritt . People will talk but don’t let the sayings stop you from doing a good job.

    • Power House
      March 25, 2014

      while i agree people in need must be cared for i think they are used as political pawns and it is selective I would like to ask Gloria when am i at 77 goig to get paid the rest of my money and why she has never answered any of my letters and canceled her apoinment at wesley because i wanted to speak to her . this happened twice .If i was looking for a handout it would be different because they could boast of their good deeds .that BOBO GARBoo relative should be ashame [[seniors she says ] what am i ateenager?

    • ()
      March 25, 2014

      I AM SURE that Linton ( The Soon To Be Prime Minister)and his team will improve this programme, since they are more loving than those in this GREEDY Labour Party.

  15. first hand
    March 25, 2014

    I have first hand view of this program at work and My God some people were literally smelling before YWC. As neighbours we did what we could, but it was not enough. GOD BLESS AND KEEP THIS PROGRAM AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT IT.

  16. OK
    March 25, 2014

    Well Gloria, why don’t you put words into action. Instead of the giving speeches speeches, why don’t you go to parliament and propose changes to the laws pertaining to Child Sexual Abuse in the country and change so that whether the parents agree or not to take the case further, once a report has been made to the police then the state has to follow through and prosecute. Time and time again you see cases not going through because the parents decide they’re not going through either they’ve been paid off or something. So let’s stop the talking talking and make serious and sound steps to protect our children and the future of our country.

    • Dominican in NY
      March 25, 2014

      I agree with changing the laws. Another law which must be changed – currently, an allegedly abused child must be interrogated in the presence of their parent(s) or guardian or else, their statements are not admissible in court. This has to be changed. I work in child welfare (Child Protective Specialist) and from first-hand experience, as permitted by the law here in the US, children are most truthful and forthcoming when interrogated privately and alone. Some parents intimidate the kids into lying and changing their statements and this is crucial. In order to get the entire process started and completed, that child has to be trusting and comfortable.

  17. Nac Vibes
    March 25, 2014

    Talk is cheap Gloria.

  18. Ambrose B, NY City
    March 25, 2014

    Suprising to read that this Minister is in support of the “Yes We Care” initiative/program, but a few years ago when a young promising constituent of hers was requesting for a second tine medical assistance overseas the response from this Minister Gloria Shillingford was “but we give you already call the Prime Minister”, the blood of this young constituent is tainted all over you Gloria Shillingford.

    • Dominican in NY
      March 25, 2014

      @Ambrose, Shut up! I understand your pain but let’s be realistic here. Everyone needs help and the gov’t helped the person you spoke about but you seriously didn’t expect them to just fork over money like crazy as if it was willed to her and her only. Come on, you can help, (generally speaking) but you can’t save them all. That’s life. There are others to be saved as well.

  19. Anonymous
    March 25, 2014

    When I saw the title (before reading the story) I was trying to remember who is Gloria Shillingford. Have not heard of the name for years. She now wake up

    • TOM
      March 25, 2014

      You have not changed! You will not change! Anyway only you hold this view. There is no truth in this . You are just trying to create an impression, which is a false impression!

  20. Ambrose B/New York
    March 25, 2014

    Its surprising to see that this Minister is supportive of “Yes We Care”, but she allowed a young promising constituent of hers to die while seeking assistance for a medical procedure overseas. When she was approached a second time for assistance her response was “but we gave you already call the PM”. The blood of this young constituent of yours is tainted all over you Gloria Shillingford

  21. Whistler
    March 25, 2014

    another issue i have with this regime, are those growth engines….

    why on earth in this modern day of civilization a so call Parl Rep who was a educator of some sort would be thinking so flat…these are non issues, dominica has become a island of yard birds or lizards, why isn’t dominica thinking outside of the box…your economy has crashed Mrs Shillingford those policies can’t be high pointers of economic growth to be shouting about…..classic point of dominica the fools paradise…

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