Cox: Trinidad and Tobago has promising future with new social support system

MINISTER of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox says the response to the covid19 pandemic proved the ministry’s ability to support vulnerable groups by expanding programmes and increasing grants.

Cox spoke at the 11th Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from October 31-November 1.

In her presentation, Adaptive Social Protection Systems for Vulnerable Populations, Cox said the government supports the steps being taken regionally to boost efforts among countries to reduce poverty and enhance social policies and programmes.

Cox emphasised Trinidad and Tobago’s social protection ecosystem, which includes 13 government ministries, agencies and non-governmental institutions. She said this allows for a dynamic, collaborative approach that delivers assistance to vulnerable people through the 120 social protection programmes available. These programmes align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the country’s national development strategy, Vision 2030.

She said during the pandemic, the government learned how to put systems in place to reduce the intensity of the effects of future disasters. The expansion of the social protection systems included temporary disaster relief grants, flood grants to farmers, salary relief and income support grants and emergency loans for small and micro enterprises.

Cox also spoke about other steps the Government is taking, such as implementing a social indicator registry, which will allow real-time access to information on the vulnerable and make possible a quicker response to their needs.

She also spoke about plans for the Social Services Management System and other technologies including the digital wallet, social benefits wallet, national electronic id (E-ID) and interoperability project.