A CONSULTATION meeting on the draft of a National Assistance Act (NAA), which is to replace the existing Poor Relief Act of 1886, was convened on Wednesday by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with key-stakeholders.
The meeting, which was held at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston, was aimed at ascertaining the reaction of stakeholders, as the Ministry prepares the first draft of the new Act.
These persons include legal officers in the various sectors, inspectors of the poor and other Local Government officials from social work groups, health and education.
Senator Floyd Morrison, State Minister of Labour and Social Security described the meeting as 'fruitful'. "What it has forced us to do is to look at a number of areas that needed fine-tuning, needed adjustment, needed omission."
MODERNISATION
He explained that the enactment of the new legislation will allow for a modernisation of the Poor Relief Act.
"This is an Act which dates back as far as 1886 and is really archaic and outdated. It makes references to places like almshouse and pauper and all of those degrading terms. When it is drafted all of that will be a thing of the past and we are putting in a modern legislation that will reflect the hopes and aspirations of the Jamaican people," Senator Morris said.
The implementation of the Bill would allow for the reform of Government's Social Safety Net. The process will allow for more assistance to be rendered to beneficiaries under the Poor Relief Act. The establishment of the Act is dependent on important institutional changes including the enactment of new legislation to reflect current government policies in social protection.
COMMITTEE SELECTION
A small group was selected from the more than 70 persons in attendance to form a committee which will be working with the Ministry to make adjustments to the draft, including feasible recommendations for submission to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel for the next draft of the Act.
Concerns were expressed by some persons as to how the new Act will be managed. It was recommended that there should be both a central agency which manages the operations of the programme and a management board. "In the Act they are combined into one body and there was general agreement that this is not the best way," explained Pauline Knight of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).
"There was also concern about the fact that the Act did not reflect the need for referral and collaboration between agencies," Mrs. Knight added. The draft Bill will undergo further scrutiny before it is enacted by March 2004.
