XN000022-1982-03-09 — Page 7

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1982

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PEOPLE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE URGED

TO APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, TODAY (TUESDAY) URGED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO NEED SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE TO COME FORWARD AND APPLY FOR IT.

HE TOLD A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE KIWANIS CLUB THAT DESPITE THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BENEFITING FROM SOCIAL SECURITY PROVISIONS, THERE MUST BE SOME WHO ARE ELIGIBLE AND YET HAVE NOT COME FÖRWARD, EITHER BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE OR BECAUSE OF FALSE SENSE OF STIGMA.+

+NINETY PER CENT OF THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE ARE ALREADY IN OUR BOOKS, AND I HOPE THAT NO ONE WHO NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WILL REFRAIN FROM APPLYING, HE SAID.

THE FUNCTION OF THE NETWORK OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY, HR ALLEYNE SAID, WAS TO ENSURE THAT +NO ONE IS SEEN TO SUFFER FROM HARDSHIP AND THAT EVERY PERSON IS ABLE TO LEAD A LIFE AT A REASONABLE STANDARD.+

+WE ARE ALSO WATCHING THE LEVELS OF BENEFITS CLOSELY SO AS TO MAINTAIN THEIR REAL VALUE AS WELL AS TO KEEP PACE WITH THE GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF THE STANDARD OF LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.

THE ESTIMATED TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE VARIOUS SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES FOR 1982-83 IS ABOUT $780 MILLION, WITH AN ADDITIONAL $35 MILLION FOR THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE SCHEME PROVIDED BY A SEPARATE FUND, MAKING AN ESTIMATED TOTAL PAYMENT OF ABOUT $815 MILLION.

+AS PAYMENT RATES ARE DUE FOR A REVISION SOON, THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURE IS LIKELY TO BE HIGHER, MR ALLEYNE SAID.

HE PUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE BENEFITING FROM THESE SCHEMES AT ABOUT 250 000.

EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, THE DIRECTOR OUTLINED THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE SAFETY NET PROVIDED BY THE BROAD RANGE OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.

THESE BENEFITS COULD BE GROUPED INTO THREE MAJOR AREAS THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, THE SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE SCHEME AND ACCIDENT COMPENSATION.

+THESE BENEFITS ARE INTENDED TO MEET THE MOST URGENT NEEDS AND TO HELP THOSE LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES, MR ALLEYNE SAID,

/AN AVERAGE