The Editor, Sir:

It is quite common to hear passionate pleas for help from desperate people devastated by fire, illness or other calamities. For instance, in the news one night, a mother was appealing for someone to (at least) donate school books to her child since the grade four books she had bought for the new school year were devoured in the flames that gutted her house and all her belongings. The Government (social security office) may not be able to sponsor individuals for expensive surgeries abroad that some persons make appeals for, but shouldn't there be some basic 'government security' for its citizens in case of such mishaps?

Existing programmes

Although there are some existing social welfare programmes in Jamaica, such as the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), which are reported (by the newspapers) to have low levels of registration among people with disability, there appears to be a lack of systemic response to individuals in crisis. Since the neediest do not know how to access the system, as we are informed by the national newspapers, shouldn't the Ministry of Social Security find ways of reaching out to these individuals who are in desperate need and generally 'market' its welfare programmes aggressively? In the face of so much need, I find it hard to believe that there is low registration for PATH.

With a population size of just 2.5 million and a functional national statistical office, local government offices, MPs, etc., shouldn't there be a way of easily identifying, documenting or verifying people in need?

I am, etc.,

DOROTHY AKINDELE

dakindele@utech.edu.jm

Doctor of Public Health

Lecturer, UTech