St. Lucia to model Grenadas’ social safety net policy.
Grenada has paved the way for a number of its regional counterparts with its social safety net program.
A St. Lucian delegation is presently in Grenada soliciting assistance with two proposed areas of reformation; one a social safety net program and the other juvenile justice.
The visiting St. Lucian delegation is hoping to take a page from Grenada’s book, in modeling its own safety net programmes.
Their mission here is to look at Grenadas’ SEED programme as part of the social safety net reform in St. Lucia and the Grand Bacolete rehabilitation center as part of their juvenile justice reform.
The visiting team comprises minister for Social Justice, Equity, local government and Empowerment Lenard Montoute, and his colleagues.
Grenada’s Minister for Social Development, Delma Thomas, pledged to assist St. Lucia in the successful implementation of both programmes.
Minister Montoute admits that St. Lucia poverty headcount is at an average of 20% of the population over the past two to three decades, and the island is lagging behind with its safety-net .
Their goal he says is to eradicate poverty.
Montoute says although safety-net programs are available, those who can afford are the ones benefitting at the expense of the poor.
The team will be in Grenada for one week.
