BYisrael: THA should control social relief

Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) deputy political leader Dr Faith BYisrael believes the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and "not Trinidad" should be responsible for the management of the Government's covid19 social relief initiatives for Tobagonians.Speaking in a Facebook live on Monday, BYisrael complained about what she considered to be the tedious process to which Tobagonians are being subjected to get food cards and other social relief initiatives.She stressed the THA should have been more proactive in addressing the needs of Tobagonians."You see all of those forms that you all are filling out, the NIB forms to get the $1,500 salary relief, the social relief form to get the food card, the rental assistance, do you all realise that even though you are dropping those forms off at the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development or even though you are e-mailing them, that all of those forms are going to Trinidad for somebody in Trinidad to determine who in Tobago gets the support?" BYisrael asked."That is exactly what is going on."She argued workers in the division are capable of identifying the Tobagonians who are in most need of assistance. "We have very competent people, social workers, social welfare officers, very competent people in the division of health who are using all of their skills to scan documents and e-mail them to Trinidad."That is what we are using our competent people here in Tobago to do, when in fact we could have been using them to say all of these forms that come from Tobago, let us help the ministry (Social Development and Family Services).She continued: "This is absolutely ridiculous that that is the process we are using."BYisrael said she is overwhelmed with phone calls from distressed Tobagonians.

Saying many people live pay cheque to pay cheque and don't know where their next meal is coming from.

She said the social relief initiatives implemented in Canada should be copied by TT."In Canada the system was simple with about five questions online and within two days people had gotten money in their bank accounts."The PDP councillor added: "It is frustrating, tiring and sickening that we have to deal with this level of mediocre performance and we think we are fine. It is not fine."BYisrael also reiterated her call for the establishment of a covid19 task force to deal with the roll-out of the social relief initiatives for Tobagonians.She said Assemblyman Ancil Dennis, who was recently appointed Assistant Secretary in the Division of Health, should lead the social service task force.BYisrael added it should also include Tobago MPs Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster-Roy and representatives from the social development ministry and Division of Education, Innovation and Energy.