Minister Proposes $25 more in Social Welfare Allowance

Lynda Tabuya said this would increase the current allowance of $100 to $125 a month.

The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation has proposed an increase of $25 on social welfare allowance. Minister responsible Lynda Tabuya said this would increase the current allowance of $100 to $125 a month.

Ministry staff and the permanent secretary presented the budget proposal to the Minister for Finance last week and one of the proposals was the increase of social welfare allowances.

Ms Tabuya said the proposed increase would have to go through Cabinet for approval before it was included in the national budget. “That is something for the Minister for Finance with Deputy PMs and PM to discuss as to what is sustainable, but an increase is needed,” she said.

“It is also part of our 100-day promise although we are outside of the 100 days now. It is something that we would like to keep. The increase of allowance is in discussion in terms of the need to increase the social welfare allowances.”

She said the increase of $25 would be across the board.

She added that it was what she believed the Ministry could afford at the moment as the struggles were on to get the economy running.

“We need the income and revenue generation, people to stay here and work,” Ms Tabuya said.

“We are losing workers and we are losing revenue. Yes, it is coming back in the form of remittances but we are losing people being here and spending here. It will be too much of a burden if we look at an increase of more than $25,” she added.

Food Vouchers

Ms Tabuya said the ministry has proposed to convert the social welfare food voucher of $50 into cash. She said this will start from August where people would receive

cash instead of food vouchers so they were not limited to a certain supermarket and certain items. “We have submitted the proposal and it looks like it will go through. We need the Cabinet approval for it,” Ms Tabuya said.

“It is proven worldwide that when you put cash in the hands of recipients, it is more far reaching than limiting them to a few stores and a few things. People have been complaining that they want the freedom and we should give them the freedom,” Ms Tabuya said.

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