Tag: poverty
Tackling poverty through micro-loans
J. A. Roy Bodden writes: I have long advocated that the most practical and risk-free solution to assisting the poor in the Cayman Islands is the establishment of a system of micro-industries modelled on what Muhammad Yunus has done in Bangladesh. In this model, borrowers are advanced small sums of up to $5,000 to set […]
Home equity loans may help elderly living in poverty
(CNS): Some elderly people in the Cayman Islands are living in poverty because of inadequate pensions but are sitting on significant equity in their homes. The government has therefore accepted a private member’s motion to consider introducing reverse mortgages to enable seniors to access that capital. Finance Minister Chris Saunders (BTW) told parliament last month […]
Gov’t races through legislation at short meeting
(CNS): A mandatory anti-bullying policy for schools, stricter drinking and driving laws and a historic overhaul of the poor law were just some of the pieces of legislation the PACT Government raced through before adjourning the latest parliamentary meeting in the absence of the opposition. The controversial sitting, which began Friday, wrapped up on Monday […]
Food security policy targets poverty and poor health
(CNS): Government has published a draft Food and Nutrition Security Policy driven by concerns about the health and well-being of residents and the growing challenge of chronic non-communicable diseases caused by poor diets as well as access to and cost of nutritional food for some families. Officials said the primary concern is the ability of […]
Over 650 families going to bed hungry
(CNS): At least 652 households recorded people in their families going to bed hungry in Cayman because they could not afford to buy food in the month prior to them taking part in the 2021 census last October. Another 673 households said they didn’t know or did not answer the question, which means that well […]
Food bank sees seven-fold increase in need
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Food bank has seen a massive increase in the number of people in need of their support since the COVID-19 shutdown. The charity has been distributing food to hundreds of people who need it on Wednesdays and Saturdays from the First Assembly of God car park. According to officials, they have […]
Kids’ living conditions shock school principal
(CNS): Sir John A Cumber Primary School Principal Jovanna Wright said some of her students are living in “unmentionable circumstances” without running water or electricity, as she described the “heartbreaking experience” over the last month delivering food to kids in need. Wright is part of an army of education staff now delivering lunches and supplies […]
Demo uses royal visit to raise social concerns
(CNS): A small silent demonstration was held at the airport on Wednesday evening as around a dozen concerned citizens used the opportunity of the royal visit and the arrival of the British press to attract attention to the struggles that many Caymanians are going through, despite all of the news of economic growth. The activists […]
Poor law rename much more than cosmetic
(CNS): The deputy chief officer in the Ministry of Community of Affairs, André Ebanks, has said that the overhaul of the outdated poor law desperately needs a name change and it that will be much more than just a bit of cosmetic tinkering. Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee last week, the senior ministry official, […]
Report shows 250% jump in welfare support
(CNS): A new report from the ESO documenting a variety of statistics in the Cayman Islands for 2017 has revealed a massive jump in the number of people seeking assistance from the Needs Assessment Unit last year, with a 254% increase in “miscellaneous supplements” given to people receiving some kind of government welfare, officials said. The […]
Poor Persons (Relief) Law under review
(CNS): Government has confirmed a review of the Persons (Relief) Law (1997 Revision), which governors the current social welfare support provided to people by the Needs Assessment Unit. Responding in a ‘government minute’ to the findings of the Public Accounts Committee on a report by the Office of the Auditor General, which found a number […]
