SOME 9,378 FAMILIES in Clarendon now receive benefits under the Government's Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).
This is a 128 per cent increase or 5,278 more than the 4,100 persons who had been registered to receive benefits for the corresponding period last year.
Doreen Walker, public assistance administrator with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security said the programme has been successfully implemented in the parish.
MEETING ITS OBJECTIVES
Mrs. Walker told JIS News on Tuesday that one year after its implementation in Clarendon, PATH has been effective in meeting its objectives of assisting some of the poorest families who now receive a minimum monthly benefit of $300, where a family with three eligible members could access a total of $900 for the month.
"There is also to be an increase of $75 which will take effect in February," she said.
Mrs. Walker mentioned that PATH targeted a maximum of 200,000 of the island's poorest citizens to provide assistance for these persons.
According to the administrator, the monthly allocation of $300 being paid in the first year (2002-2003) was to be increased to $450 after two years. By year three individual recipients are to get $500.
PATH has combined and replaced benefits previously administered individually under the Old Age and Incapacity Programme, the Food Stamp Programme, and the Outdoor Poor Relief Programme.
