Tag: social welfare
New acts advance social development
(CNS): Parliament adjourned on a relative high note, Monday, after government steered through a collection of bills advancing Cayman’s social development safety net. The amendment bills were largely the work of the former minister, Andrè Ebanks (WBS) and deal with improvements to child safeguarding and protecting the elderly.
Bryan: Homeless families to be housed immediately
(CNS): The UPM government has made a policy commitment to house all homeless Caymanian families with children, ensuring that no kids are sleeping on the street, in tents or in cars. Addressing parliament on Wednesday, Minister Kenneth Bryan, who took over responsibility for social development last month, said the policy directions to the Department of […]
Cabinet approves bills to protect youngest and oldest
(CNS): The Ministry of Investment, Innovation, and Social Development (MIISD) has published four bills following Cabinet approval that will be debated in parliament when it next meets. Officials said the proposed legislative reforms aim to bolster protections for children, young people and older people. Social Development André Ebanks described them as “substantial amendment bills” that […]
Social welfare overhaul reaches final stages
(CNS): Two years after the Financial Assistance Act was passed in parliament and a year after the regulations were implemented, the Needs Assessment Unit will officially become the Department of Financial Assistance (DFA) on 10 October, as work continues on reforming the delivery of welfare assistance to those in need. A number of changes have […]
NAU offers more resources under new policies
(CNS): As the Needs Assessment Unit (NAU) prepares to morph into the Financial Assistance Department and new legislation providing for Cayman’s future welfare needs is rolled out, the Ministry of Social Development has implemented a series of enhancements to financial assistance programmes to provide better support.
Welfare overhaul won’t be easy, warns minister
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government is preparing for the implementation of new laws governing welfare support next month, including the transition of the Needs Assessment Unit into the Department of Financial Assistance. However, Social Development Minister André Ebanks has warned that it will take time for the changes to have an impact and it “won’t […]
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 […]
Volunteers wanted to oversee welfare appeals
(CNS): The social development ministry is looking for five volunteers with experience and qualifications to sit on the Financial Assistance Appeals Tribunal, a new public body that will hear and determine appeals against decisions made by the Department of Financial Assistance under the new law. Officials said the tribunal will comprise a qualified lawyer as […]
Minister aims to create welfare-to-work regime
(CNS): Social Development Minister André Ebanks says the fundamental reforms he is planning to steer through Parliament next month will create a new regime in which many people currently receiving financial help from the government will transition into permanent employment and self-sufficiency. At the same time, it will offer more support for those not able […]
New bill to overhaul future of welfare support
(CNS): Less than sixteen months after taking office, the minister responsible for social welfare has presented a new bill to overhaul the public assistance regime and create a new system to help the most vulnerable in the community. The Financial Assistance Bill, which repeals the existing Poor Persons (Relief) Law, is now open for public […]
New welfare law will mandate need to work
(CNS): A government policy maker has indicated that when the new law dealing with financial support for those in need finally reaches Parliament next year, it will include a mandatory requirement for able bodied people to enter the workforce and find a job. At a Public Accounts Committee hearing last week, the former and current […]
