Rethink move | Vani urges ministry to consider contextual realities of families - The Fiji Times
Source: The Fiji Times
Author: Wata Shaw
Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) executive director Vani Catanasiga has urged the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection to consider the current contextual realities of families living on and below the poverty line before removing people from its assistance and welfare programs.
In addition, she said studies undertaken to gauge citizens ability to access social services and support across the public and not for profit sectors should be considered before beneficiaries were removed.
Ms Catanisiga was responding to Minister Lynda Tabuya's statement that her ministry would be removing people from the poverty benefit scheme because some "have been in the program for many years".
Ms Tabuya said the bus fare assistance scheme, where a monthly $25 top up allowance is given to the disabled and elderly, was being abused and that was the reason the ministry opted to top up cards instead of disbursing the standard $25 every month.
"I understand a study has been undertaken by development partners supporting the effort to strengthen our social welfare system, and until FCOSS and other partners get invited to a detailed briefing of this, we won't know for sure and can't comment on whether those removed from the schemes are ready for 'graduation'," she said in reference to Ms Tabuya's statement that 500 people that the ministry hopes to 'graduate' out from the programs.
"FCOSS urges the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection to ensure that a referral system and the welfare graduation process takes into consideration the current contextual realities of families living on and below the poverty line as well as studies undertaken to gauge citizens ability to access social services and support across the public and not for profit sectors.
"These should have a big bearing on the ministry's efforts to streamline the welfare system.
"Without these, the ministry will have failed in its duty to uphold the do no harm principle."
Ms Tabuya had said they would also reform the welfare system by setting expiration dates for recipients this year.
Pearce Home Trust chairman and former FCOSS director Mohammed Hassan Khan said he was against the idea of people being "removed" as some people were still recovering post Covid-19, especially the elderly.
"The latest price increase is already increasing the stress and sleeplessness amongst the older persons who were still grappling with high-cost of living after almost two years of hardships brought by Covid with widespread anxieties over finances," Mr Khan said.
He said one in five older people in Fiji, aged 60 and above, work and almost all of them do it because they must.
He urged the ministry to carefully do research on people who were being removed, adding it was important to look after the needs of the underprivileged in society and not neglect them in their times of need.