Watershed moment

CVSS head welcomes incentives for charity workers

THE COUNCIL of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) has welcomed the announcement made by the Government to allow Students Loan Bureau (SLB) borrowers employed to registered charities, to have 10 per cent of their loan balance forgiven for each year that they are employed full-time to a registered charity.

Saffrey Brown, chair of the CVSS, said the announcement was a watershed one for charity organisations. “This is an excellent incentive for people who want the opportunity to participate in the development of Jamaica, but were previously hesitant to do so,” she said.

Brown further noted that the sector is often unable to provide remuneration packages on par with the private sector. “There is the need to find additional ways of incentivising involvement in charity organisations, and this announcement, is a major step in the right direction,” she added.

In his address in the 2019-2020 Budget Debate, Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke said the incentive would apply to SLB borrowers, who were in good standing with the lending agency. The incentive will take effect on April 1.

Brown also urged charities to be fully regularised and compliant so that their employees can fully benefit from this new measure.

Presently, there are 91 members of the council who are registered charity organisations in Jamaica. The CVSS is a coordinating body for voluntary sector organisations involved in social development.

The CVSS is one of the oldest and largest voluntary sector umbrella NGOs in Jamaica. Founded in 1940, its mission is to build the capacity of members and t he wider community and create sustainable alliances, facilitating mutual support and joint action, and to represent the concerns of the social sector, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups at the national and international levels.