Cox: Pandemic offers chance to improve life

THE covid19 pandemic provides the perfect opportunity for TT to seize opportunities to improve the quality of life of all members of the population.

Social Development and Family Services Minister Donna Cox underscored that point at the launch of the Automated Senior Citizens Pension Process (ASCPP) process at the ttConnect Service Centre, Chaguanas on Monday.

Quoting British engineer Andrew Wolstenholme's 2009 observation that "we should never waste a good crisis," Cox said, "The appropriateness and applicability of that statement to the current covid19 pandemic cannot be missed."

She explained the ASCPP process is part of the rapid acceleration of Government's information communication technology (ICT) plans. These plans, Cox continued, also saw the birth of the Public Administration and Digital Transformation Ministry, which is dedicated to bringing TT "kicking and screaming in some cases into the 21st century."

Cox explained that the commissioning of the ASCPP between her ministry and the iGovTT "has been long in coming, but represents another tangible indication of a government that is intent on ensuring there is a whole-of-government approach to the delivery of key goods and services to the national population."

After observing the ASCPP will give the country's more vulnerable citizens and especially older people eligible for senior citizens pension greater access to Government's safety net system from the comfort of their homes, Cox said a recent memorandum of understanding signed between the ministry and iGovTT will alllow members of the public to access social welfare and other services provided by the ministry through any of the seven tt Connect centres across TT.

She said these services included senior citizens pension, disability and public assistance grants and food support under the Social Welfare Division. Apart from the ttConnect online portal, Cox said the ministry's mobile portal, express buses and toll-free numbers (800-1MSD and 800-8826) are other ways, people can access these services.

She also thanked the Telecommunication Authority for i's role in increasing ICT capacity through initiatives such as free wi-fi in public spaces and subsidised specially equipped mobile devides for people with disabilities. All these efforts, she said, are one of the best ways to repay senior citizens who have contributed to national development "in the sunset of their days."

Permanent secretary Jacinta Bailey-Sobers said digital initiatives such as the ASCPP demonstrated their importance for the ministry, which "provides financial support to close to 200,000 vulnerable citizens on a monthly basis." She added that half of these citizens are older people. While some older people may be reluctant or unable to come on board, Bailey-Sobers assured them, "Our officers will be there to support you in the traditional way so that no one is left behind."

She also said a 2020 Telecommunication Development Sector report showed that countries with more robust ICT infrastructures were better positioned to handle economic fallouts and mitigate negative circumstances, especially for the most vulnerable in society, during the pandemic.