Welfare reform to roll out after years of neglect
(CNS): Cabinet has approved new regulations that pave the way for the launch of the Department of Financial Assistance later next month (replacing the Needs Assessment Unit) and a complete transformation in the way the Cayman Islands handles welfare support. The Financial Assistance Regulations, 2023 and the Financial Assistance (Appeals) Regulations, 2023 were rolled out a year after the Financial Assistance Act, 2022 was passed in Parliament, which redefined the government’s approach to those in need.
The Ministry of Social Development has been “working diligently” over the past year “to develop innovative strategies and solutions to modernise the framework for assistance,” Chief Officer Tamara Ebanks said in a press release. “We have held focus groups with other government departments, non-profit organisations, mental health practitioners, landlords and clients of the department since the passing of the Act.”
She added that Minister André Ebanks “ensured there was consultation with members of the opposition and ultimately extensive input from members of caucus. Consultation with all of these groups has directly improved many aspects of the regulations.”
Minister Ebanks described the development as an important milestone for the community. “Today, with the approval of these regulations, we are on the cusp of transforming the way we deliver financial assistance in the Cayman Islands,” he said. “As we look forward to the launch of the Department of Financial Assistance, we embrace a future where members of our community can more efficiently access the support they need through modern processes and systems.”
The regulations also address the relevant recommendations by the Office of the Auditor General in the report, “Government Programmes Supporting Those in Need“, published in May 2015. An OAG review of that report in 2021 highlighted the last government’s neglect of the welfare system throughout its time in office. Over two administrations, the PPM failed to develop appropriate policies, leaving the departments that deal with those in need in a perpetual state of crisis management, the OAG found.
Bone of the recommendations have been addressed until now, despite the efforts by the Public Accounts Committee in hearings that exposed the shortcomings in the welfare system. Over more than six years, the government made commitments to implement the OAG’s recommendations, but almost nothing changed.
When he took up the ministry, Ebanks made a commitment to real change. This included the goal of ‘welfare to work’ for those who are able, and reducing the number of times those in need of permanent support have to prove their circumstances. Speaking in parliament last month, Ebanks explained that in the upcoming budget, money will be allocated to help people enter or return to the workforce by supporting them with childcare, transport costs and other barriers to employment.
Given the coming changes, the public is encouraged to attend one of the town hall meetings taking place across the islands to learn about what is now being implemented.
The meetings will all be held 6:30pm – 8:00pm at the following dates and locations:
| West Bay | Monday, 16 October | John Gray Memorial Church Hall |
| George Town | Tuesday, 17 October | Constitution Hall (George Town Town Hall) |
| Bodden Town | Tuesday, 24 October | Bodden Town Primary School |
| East End | Wednesday, 25 October | East Event Civic Centre |
| Cayman Brac | Monday, October 30 | Aston Rutty Civic Centre |
| North Side | Wednesday, 1 November | North Side Civic Centre |
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People should not have children that they cannot afford. Legalizing abortion like developed and humane normal countries to prevent accidental births would be a good start.
Go back to your hellish country and keep your murderous idea of population control with you you genocidal freak.
Enforce the maintenance act without the need for mothers to have to go to court and enforce it. Working mothers cannot afford to lose their jobs chasing deadbeats to constantly pay.
Connect the mandatory maintenance payments with all government services. Eg. need a drivers licence renewed or car licence renewed – nope can’t do it. Haven’t paid your maintenance. Get pulled over by police, the system says you haven’t paid your maintenance, off to jail you go.
At the airport to fly for a vacation – immigration system shows you haven’t paid maintenance – nope you can’t go.
This is similar to other countries. This isn’t a new concept. Just enforce the maintenance laws!
The long term solution is for deadbeat women to start making better decisions.
+1000000000
Deadbeat women….do you mean mothers? If that’s the case I hope you realize that men play a role in reproduction. You know in 9 months a woman can only get pregnant once but a man can get 100’s of women pregnant in the same amount of time.
Long term is a long long way away. Would require evolutionary changes in intelligence and future. Lot easier to compel compliance or deny those that deflect their poor decisions into the tax lawyer the ability to access resources meant for those in involuntary need.
The auditor general has been here long enough to know that the PACK isn’t any different , instead it will be worse. I hope this Minister will show us what has been accomplished at the end of two years and I will be the first to stand up and clap for him. All of you are amateurs and actors but performance is minimal.
oh yes, there are changes yes, but I know a situation of a senior citizen and his wife had their assistance taken away because he gets his Seaman benefit. Revoking his is fine but why take hers? They both have serious health issues and in need of certain self care items which are not cheap. This change has affected them mentally as now they are told to live off the seaman’s benefit when we know utilities and groceries; the basic necessities are very expensive. I pray they’ll get the right help very soon. Oh, they also have a helper who they now can’t afford.
The drug addicts whi receives assistance should be made to go to rehab in order to continue receiving their assistance.
God help us!
Was she married to him at the time he was at sea? If not, then hopefully his benefit stops when he dies. We can’t pay for these new wives that had nothing to do with the seamen when they were at sea. There’s many a seaman that have young new wives in their 20s, 30s, 40s and the seamen are in their 60s plus years. The Cayman govt should not have to pay stipends/assistance for these new wives at all.
I agree however they were married for over 60 years and yes, that was during all of his time as a seaman. By the way, that isn’t relevant to their situation at present and who knows whi God will call home first? The young are dying as well.
The drug addicts shouldn’t be receiving assistance either. We should have a mandatory committed rehab program whereby if someone is found addicted, forced into rehab by the government. It works out cheaper than just giving them NAU.
Yes, but what about the many serial rehabbers? Agree that first or even second offence should be mandatory rehab, but what after that? Jail? Chain gang?
Hopefully something really changes for the better and this isn’t a rebranding exercise selling the same product.
Spoiler alert, it’s a rebranding exercise.
Renaming it from “assessment “ to “assistance “ seems to switch the emphasis away from means testing to just paying out.
Which is just being honest about what is taking place anyhoo.
Section 51(1) Immigration (Transition) Act
The Board or the Director of WORC may revoke PR where:
(e) the person becomes destitute;
(l) the person is no longer supporting or able to support a dependent;
(n) the person is deemed by the Cabinet to be an undesirable inhabitant of the Islands.
“destitute person” means a person who is, or is likely to be, a charge on public funds by reason of mental or bodily ill-health or insufficiency of means to support themselves and that person’s dependents, if any.
Many of the answers are staring us in the face.
well said …
They need to reform this as I know of one Caymanian who is married to a foreign lady and they have 3 children (this is his third marriage and he has children by all the ex-wives). Now when you give him a job he only wants to work cash because if the NAU finds out he is working they will cut the welfare money. But the law says an employee must be on health insurance and pay into pension so when the employer starts the deductions this guy disappears because he wants the welfare plus cash. So he moves from job to job – subcontracting – beating the system. This is totally wrong. These type of people need to go to work and stop sucking off the public tax dollars.
He cannot subcontract without a Trade and Business license. If that is what he is doing, he is a criminal and should be prosecuted.
Won’t happen because developers and contractors want the cheap labor. Why do they have so many sub contractors on the jobs now?
So it won’t happen because we are corrupt? Is that what you are alleging?
I thought we had the rule of law here?
Legge was right.
Legge is a coward that fled at the first hint of actual consequence after his years of anti-Caymanian misinformation for the benefit of his fellow ultra-wealthy friends.
Perhaps. He wasn’t wrong though.
What planet are you living on. Did you say a Trade & Business license. Please give me a break. Do you have any idea how many businesses are operating here without a T & B license. Come down off your planet and hopefully you will land on planet Earth and land in the Cayman Islands.
Exactly. Many of those are just a ‘side-gig’ for CIG employees, or retired folk, and thus fairly harmless. However, there are several large businesses whose employees are also off-grid. The customer enjoys a lower price and the beat goes on.
It is fairly harmless. It is also a crime. It also therefore is money laundering. And we are a well regulated jurisdiction trying to get off the OECD Blacklists. And our civil servants are amongst the hundreds doing it.
Cayman needs to grow up, or fail.
It has a short window to decide.
LOL
You mean he should not be subcontracting without a licence ??
Check how many is out there taking on jobs without a business licence
Where is enforcement to protect the public from this rift raft behavour ??
Cayman is becoming a lawless , welfare state
Yes why can’t cayman do what some other countries is doing with the deadbeats ??
Why do we have to re invent the wheel ?
Have you reported the abuse?
yes but nothing is done
Case/report #?
Please report this person to NAU, this is fraud. You aren’t helping the system by being quiet about it.
So have YOU reported your knowledge to the current NAU. They do have an investigative section.
It should also be reported to the DCI for the offenses under the Trade and Business Licensing Act, and to the Police for the fraud on the Cayman Islands Government and various offenses at Common Law. Of course, neither will do anything meaningful.
Nothing changes despite the “cusping”, it will still all depend on ‘who you know”.
so true