Six private children’s homes to get gov’t subventions

Six privately-run children’s homes and orphanages, which have met the minimum operational standards, will soon begin receiving government subventions

This is according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who said yesterday that Cabinet recently granted the subvention approvals for the Bal Nivas Shelter for Abused Children, the Bless the Children Home, the Children of Promise, the Cornelia Ida Children’s Home, the Ruimveldt Children’s Home and the Save R Kids Children’s Home.

Harmon said that the homes have been in operation for some time and have been monitored by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA), which ensured that they met the minimum operational standards in keeping with law. He said that it is expected that the subventions will “immediately improve the child care services provided by these homes.”

Meanwhile, Harmon said that Cabinet also agreed to the re-implementation of the subvention for the Women’s Advisory Committee of the Guyana Trades Union Congress. “The subvention was stopped by the previous administration in 2003 and several previous attempts to have it reinstated proved futile,” he said.

He explained that the committee is a standing committee of the GTUC and has been functioning for over 35 years. Its membership comprises women workers of affiliated unions and women workers within the informal sector. Harmon said that the committee plans and coordinates training, workshops and activities related to gender issues and is also involved in the education and empowerment of women workers. The committee, he said, also has a close working relationship with the Gender Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Social Protection. “It is expected that the reinstatement of this subvention of $150,000 per annum will assist the committee with the effective implementation of its programmes,” he added.