Public Consultations on Revised Social Protection Policy Kick off Tuesday

The Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment is gearing to engage with members of the public on the draft revised National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) from Tuesday May 17 th through to Wednesday May 25 th , 2022. The aim of the Policy review is to ensure that the NSPP adequately caters to all dimensions of poverty impacting citizens across the lifecycle. Specifically, the Revised NSPP now makes provisions for the impact of health, economic and environmental shocks on quality of life. Highlights of the revised policy include increased labor market opportunities for eligible citizens, increased support and wider coverage for Saint Lucia’s vulnerable citizens and communities, and a minimum standard of living secured via income support.

Other key features include a strategy to graduate beneficiaries from social assistance, an eligibility framework, and institutional strengthening mechanisms for efficient service delivery at the agency level. Permanent Secretary Velda Joseph is urging heads and representatives of social support NGOs, CBOs and FBOs to attend and participate in the consultations so that they can ensure that the interests of their constituents are fully accommodated. “Social Protection programs are also demand driven. If people are unaware that they are eligible for certain types of care and support, they will not engage the system, and that defeats the purpose of creating these mechanisms.”