18,000 names removed from food card system

UPDATE:

TWO police officers are among hundreds of unscrupulous people who had been receiving Government-issued food cards at the expense of the country’s needy citizens.

This was revealed by Social Development and Family Services Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn on Saturday night during a PNM political meeting at the Upper Malabar Community Centre, Arima.

Crichlow-Cockburn, who is also the Lopinot/Bon Air West MP, spoke at length about the “confusion” that has long accompanied the initiative.

She said this has resulted in the Government having to carry out a recertification exercise to ensure that those for whom the programme was conceptualised, benefitted.
However, Crichlow-Cockburn said she recently learnt from a constituent that the police officers, who also live in the Lopinot/Bon Air West area, had vowed not to support her as MP because of the Government’s stringent policy on the issuing of food cards.

“In the first instance, they should not have had the food card because of their income. And so, ladies and gentlemen, we will not condone wrong.”

The minister revealed that during the recertification exercise, which catered to those who were in receipt of food cards, approximately 13,000 people did not go in to the ministry.
“So, when you see the UNC and the detractors come to say things like ‘This Government is uncaring. They take back people food card....’

“We have not taken back any food card. What we have done is sought to ensure that the persons who are in receipt of food support are persons who are eligible for it and persons who are in need and cannot feed their families.”

Crichlow-Cockburn told the gathering, since the exercise an estimated 18,000 people have been removed from the system.

“What this has meant for Government is that we have been able to save at least $150 million annually.”
She said the money could be used to provide more services within her ministry and others.
“We are convinced the action we have taken in terms of the food support and food card have been justified.”

She said last week, the ministry removed 1,376 food card holders from the system because they had not used the card since last December.

“If you have not utilised your food support card in six months, clearly you do not need it.”
Saying the ministry was engaged in another recertification exercise, Crichlow-Cockburn said more than 3000 names could not be found because they do not exist. She claimed one particular regional corporation “needed at least three pages to print those names.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

Two police officers are among hundreds of unscrupulous people who had been receiving Government-issued food cards at the expense of the country’s needy citizens.

This was revealed by Social Development and Family Services Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn on Saturday night during a PNM political meeting at the Upper Malabar Community Centre, Arima.

Crichlow-Cockburn, who is also the Lopinot/Bon Air West MP, spoke at length about the “confusion” that has long accompanied the initiative.

She said this has resulted in the Government having to do a recertification exercise to ensure that those for whom the programme was conceptualised, benefitted.

However, Crichlow-Cockburn said she recently learnt from a constituent that the police officers, who also live in the Lopinot/Bon Air West area, had vowed not to support her as MP because of the Government’s stringent policy on the issuing of food cards.

“One of my constituents said to me recently, two persons were talking and say they not supporting you anymore because you went and you take back the food card,” she said.

“Ladies and gentlemen, two persons, both of them police officers and complaining about their food card being taken back.

“In the first instance, they should not have had the food card because of their income. And so, ladies and gentlemen, we will not condone wrong.”