Parliament has approved the formation of a new agency which will replace the public support program, commonly called the “Red Clinic.”
Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit told Parliament on Thursday that the Rapid Response Social Recovery Agency will address some of the bureaucratic challenges encountered by the “Red Clinic” and will make it easier for Dominicans who are in need of urgent assistance from the government.
“I want to say to this country, Madam Speaker, that I believe that this will help address some of the beauratic challenges which this program has faced, and other similar type programs,” he said. “And I believe that this is a precursor, in my mind, looking at the future, to the setting up of a national agency of social interventions, which will oversee projects like the DNTF, which will oversee programs like the Yes We Care Program. But in everything, you start by steps. We started the program as a unit in the Office of the Prime Minister, it was graduated into a quasi-agency in the Office of the Prime Minister. We now have offices in Canefield, in Newtown, in Portsmouth, in Castle Bruce. We will be moving one to the northeast and now we are here creating this parliamentary creature, this legislative creature, to facilitate our response to our citizens, who may find themselves, by no act of theirs, in particular, situations.”
He explained that the intention now is to “give effect to this entity immediately.”
“We are in the process of identifying board members who will now go to recruiting because we cannot allow bureaucracy to bog down this thing that we really need urgently,” Skerrit stated.
However, the Opposition Leader, Lennox Linton, had reservations saying the new agency was not necessary and will be costly.
“We have always said that these services can be properly and effectively provided from within the welfare system of the Government of Dominica,” he told the House. “The question is why are we starting, or introducing this statutory corporation which is going to cost money, money that could be going towards assisting the very same people who need the assistance. Why the additional cost of running it?”
He pointed out the agency will incur additional expenses in a country with a declining economy.
“We have 18 ministers of government. We have 18 ministries of government in a land where the economy declined by 4.7 percent last year and will decline a further 14 percent this year. But we are thinking of additional expenses notwithstanding 18 ministries and ministers of government. We are thinking of additional expenses to set up an agency, a special purpose vehicle to deliver public support in a rapid manner,” Linton said.
What Mr Linton did not understand yet is that , the PM do not care about the country economy, the CBI program brings tons of money everyday in this place….til….til it collapse and then it will be too late , all of our people will know how to eat a fish but still don t know how to catch it.
In the private sector when inflows of revenue are below expectations what happens is that expenses are reduced like reducing staff and becoming more efficient. We see that Skerritt, the Punjabi doctor has a voodoo economic approach which is to increase expenditure by creating more positions like a new minister, assistant commissioner and a new body to administer his red clinic. Look at what obtains in America you see reductions in social spending but the faux doctor is sticking with the failed policies of 18 years once ignorant people are prepared to accept pittances in exchange for their vote. Can the country move in another direction? One where people pull themselves up by their own bootstraps once given the right economic climate like existed in the 1980’s and 1990’s?
Let the Welfare Department handle this. Jeez too much nonsense in DA
We can see it clearly. U just have to dress in red, u become qualify (party colours) n receive handouts . What a country! Is this how our young person going to learn to become nobody in the the future?
So what is the use of the welfare system? Look nonsense. All skerite doin is to stay in power … mr just a sick man… man u stay 18 years already is time for you and your curupt gov to go.. get out man.. state man ..
I do acknowledge that needy people need help but I beg the question why this can not resort under our existing welfare service? THere is no need for separate offices and by the way, I do not see a location for Grandbay and would have thought our people there are no less well off than say in Castle Bruce. I have a nagging suspicion that they are being located in places where the government feels that their majority may be at risk. I hope I am wrong.
What is the role of welfare..form another agency with new board members..alas we are just going in the wrong direction and the citizens of Dominicans just accept anything…oh well
Once again, Respect to MR Linton, too much waste and a Government list of multiple ministries with the same basic job description and responsibilities. You can now go to several ministries and receive the same services. I did.
This is not a bad idea but its not everybody, is should be for who really needs it. It should also not for favoritism reason, but worthy cases.
This is a bad idea. Skerrit is just working his way to buy the next elections creating fake programmes where institutions already exits. This man and his corrupt government are killing our Domininca softy and qusickly
Alas, i feel sorry for us in Dominica. instead of addressing the burning issues like health care and infrastructure etc, the Government is concerned more on ways to continue to keep the people dependent on them. While providing assistance for the people is proper in terms of emergencies etc, there are institutions already in place for such. More focus on jobs is welcomed, give better incentives. A sense of pride and independence is what we need.
Give Jack his jacket. This is a very good point Lennox. It makes no sense to incur further administrative costs when that money could be put into use for the same people. I have no problem with government assistance but our government needs to assess those receiving assistance. We have too many able bodies men and women just depending on handouts. Leave the money for those who really need it.
70000 Citizens in Dominica
18 Ministers
Divide 70000 people by 18 Ministers (3888.88)
Provide handouts to 3888.88 people by each minister and you will retain political power always.
67K people in Dominica , what is happening were the GOVT has to deploy assistance for social help so frequently that it needs to create an organization outside Welfare Service.
This display a heavy failure of the GOVT because its healthcare and the economical environment has failed miserable which is creating that problem..
So instead launching a rapid response sustainable program to address the economic and HealthCare issues to reduce the heavy frequency of handing out money for social/ healthcare support. Their way of addressing it is by formalizing a department through parliament to hand out money.
This GOVT has no interest in the future and long term welfare of the people in DA as the problem will not disappear.
You are so correct, it is proof of the abject failure of this poor excuse for a government. But, why would they care what it looks like, the people are more like sheeple and the know that.
OK, then what’s the role of the welfare department??
Why not make the funds available to the welfare department and let the professionals do their jobs??
That is all a vote buying scheme
Amen…Good point. This ministry with the dedicated officers, have been by passed, ignored, disrespected, and use boom boom fly people of their run all over Domininca giving handouts. This is madness and a corrupt scheme all as part of trying to steal and rob the up coming elections.
This is just another redefined word for the RED CLINIC. The country is heading in a downward spiral with this continuous dependency on Government for sustenance. With a current unemployment rate of 23% which ranks third in the Caribbean, these incompetent leaders have failed to create jobs to help improve the quality of life for the citizens of this Country.
Does a name change or office change make a difference? Really? Unless that reckless, careless, dangerous and corrupt country is COMPLETELY out, nothing changes. It’s going to be the same failed corrupt thing Skerrit introduced
My initial thought after reading this article was, isn’t this a function of the Welfare Division? Then I realize that I probably need some background info on the Welfare Division. Is this something that they are capable of handling? After my research I may or may not support the Opposition Leader on this one.
Well I hope the people in charge don’t do what they want . because bad name goes to the pm
chic NOTHING & I MEAN NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT SKERRT KNOWING!!!! you ever heard of micromanaging…. Skerro have to vet everything down to the line-up of WCMF. Ask around in all minister and gov dept and you will know. So they cannot do what they want……everybody fraid Skerrit.
I will have to agree with the Opposition leader here , we still going to have a Welfare Dept so what will there office responsibly for what are they going to handle, Instead we should be holding back on excess spending and strengthen the Institutions we have not opening up new ones. The RED CROSS have been around for a long time it’s a world wide agency so where does that leave Dominica of cause we will be removed from there list , if there were cracks in the system why not revamp and then train employees instead of throwing them under the bus . We just don’t seem to understand or know how to manage those Institutions that we have..
Where there is no vision the people perish. Dominica lacks visionary leadership and therefore the country has been plunging into economic darkness. The economy is lifeless yet there is a ballooning government and an ever increasing number of public agencies. Everything that is done by this regime is polarizing, the ‘Red Clinic’ sure was. The distribution of the checks to farmers sure was. The handing out of donated materials to chosen constituencies sure is. There is no fairness in the manner the Skerrit led government operates. The people are viewed strictly as votes and not as human beings with needs. This mal-administration is milking the country’s tragedy for political gain.
Pm you encouraging to much laziness in da some people can work and they don’t cause they no u there to take care of them enough is enough raise the pay of hard working civil servant
Happy to hear the PM is there for his people. That means he cares for red, blue, green, yellow and puple
Is lacking vision the new way of helping the people, if so, I’m sorry for my people because there dreams and dignity have been dashed .
Kid on the block I doe agree with you. You talk like that but you dont know the inner working of this institution.
Don’t be JA….y0u know not what you are talking about. You behave like a blind political bat, irrespective of the faults of your feed Skerrit, you say yes to everything he throws at us. This is an abusive of states funds that continuous with a new dress, new pants, but sane corrupt mentality.
Lennox always sees things in the reverse or back to front. Once it does not happen his way, then it’s no way. Lennox this concept of yours can only happen in your camp, the UWP camp.
You talking of expenses, the monies that you and rest of members of the UWP are receiving to open and run an office in you ALL constituency and you ALL receive the monies and not putting(monies) in use for which they were intend to, isn’t that additional expense to a country with a declining economy?
When you go on Q95 and play victim to the country and in less than 2 hours Matt could suck thousands from the poor people of the country to pay court fees for your lying tongue, how do you term that?
Bro you all should not mislead the people. The Members of the opposition receive a salary (much less than a minister). This is not a salary to run-an-office as you are projecting it to be. In other islands an office is paid for (with administrative staff) for the leader of the opposition by the state (Tax payers). The leader of opposition is right, there is an increasing cost of operation of this government with the sole objective in winning elections. Dominicans are viewed as just a vote. The relevant ministries should have been empowered they already were set for the function of assisting the poor and vulnerable. The local government once upon a time was a powerful entity, now it has been reduced to dust, all in the effort to make the honorable PM look like a saviour. But all you care about bro, is your pocket you get your salary, with all its perks. Just a reminder of how the house slaves enslaved the field slaves by collaborating with their oppressors.
Lack of education and common sense are a dangerous thing for any one.
Its true what Mr. Linton is saying. This could be done through the welfare system.
One word, for you . Rubbish. You just cannot compare your failed Pm Skerrit with decent Hon Linton.
bruh
photo caption tho
