Black Immigrant Daily News

With the second phase of distribution of the $30,000 ‘Because We Care’ cash grant and uniform voucher completed, it has been revealed that a whopping 9,000 parents did not show up to collect the monies.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Education commenced the distribution of the “Because We Care” cash grant and uniform allowance at various schools across the country.

The grant has been increased this year t0 $25,000, while the school uniform and supplies voucher increased from $4,000 to $5,000, taking the total to $30,000

The initiative targets both public and private school students. Some 194,000 were expected to benefit.

At the conclusion of the distribution exercise, it was observed that some 11,000 parents did not get to uplift their grants and as such, a second distribution initiative was held.

Upon completion of that exercise, it was observed that still, a large number of parents did not show up to collect the grants.

“We had just under, 11,000 parents who our records said would have been entitled, that we wanted to serve on the second occasion. Unfortunately, the numbers that turned out were very, very low…” Education Minister Priya Manickchand told reporters on Wednesday.

“In most regions, we saw under 20% of those who would have been entitled receiving the grant,” she added.

Reports are that more than 20,000 persons uplifted the grants during the first round of distribution which spanned four days. However, a significant number of parents were unable to do so and as such, the government decided to host another distribution activity on August 18.

“The government’s job is to provide the funding for this grant and to make it accessible but we can’t force people to take it,” Minister Manickchand posited.

“I think, you probably would have had just about 9000 parents whose children would have been entitled but did not receive it,” she further revealed, noting that more precise figures will be released to the public shortly.

In 2021, the government disbursed a total of $3.3 billion in “Because We Care” cash grants to public school students countrywide.

The cash grants were also extended to students attending private schools where each child received $19,000 amounting to a total of $284.8 million.

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DE AGRARISCHE SECTOR in Suriname kan zich in de toekomst rijk rekenen. Tenminste, als president Chandrikapersad Santokhi na zijn recente

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Earlier this month, approximately 150 security officers, cleaners and other personnel employed by companies contracted by the Department of Education Services (DES) to provide services in Government schools completed mandatory training in Child Protection Fundamentals.

A team led by DES’ Child Protection/ Designated Safeguarding Liaison Officer, Mrs. Gina Argenzio-Gayle, facilitated the completion of the online training module in the John Gray High School computer labs.

Ms. Adassa Blair, an employee of Hurlston Janitorial, was one of the trainees. She shared, “I thank DES for giving me access to a computer to complete the module seeing that I don’t usually have access to one. I also felt very comfortable and relaxed knowing that someone was there to provide me with clear instructions to getting onto the module and guiding me through the process.”

Ms. Blair and the other new trainees join more than 1,500 persons from educational institutions around the Cayman Islands that have completed the online module since its development in 2021.

Ministry of Education (MoE) Acting Chief Officer Ms. Lyneth Monteith remarked, “The health and safety of the children of the Cayman Islands is our [MoE’s] greatest priority. As such, I laud the DES’ efforts to facilitate this critical training session to ensure that children are protected from harm, abuse and exploitation. I also look forward to more persons receiving Child Protection training as we enter the new academic year.”

The MoE developed online and in-person, Cayman-specific Child Protection training modules in 2021. Both aim to ensure that all persons working and volunteering in educational institutions are aware of the three Rs of child protection. These include recognising indicators of child abuse and neglect, responding appropriately to abused or neglected children, reporting or referring according to legal requirements, and following organisational policies and procedures.

Modules also discuss specific safeguarding considerations for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The Ministry requires that all educational institutions have child protection policies that are in line with its three child protection policies:

National Child Abuse Neglect Reporting Policy, 2016,The National Safe Environment Policy, 2016, andThe National Staff Safeguarding Policy (Staff Code of Conduct), 2016.

“Leaders of educational institutions are responsible, by law, for ensuring that their staff and employees comply with this training requirement; and they have been provided with information on how to access the required training”, added Programme Manager for At-Risk-Youth, Ms. Camila Ferreira.

To learn more or to access the National Child Abuse Neglect Reporting Policy, the National Safe Environment Policy and the National Staff Safeguarding Policy, visit the Ministry of Education’s website at www.gov.ky/education.

(Source: CIG)

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Western Union has deepened its relationship with Visa allowing customers in the US to send money directly to the accounts of Visa debit card holders in six countries, including Jamaica.

The expanded partnership is expected to increase the transfer speed and efficiency of its customers.

Western Union’s integration with Visa Direct – Visa’s real-time money movement network – was initially activated across Europe, enabling Western Union customers in more than 20 countries to send and/or receive funds directly to eligible Visa debit card holders.

Building on this momentum, Western Union customers in the US can now send money in near real-time to eligible Visa debit cards in Colombia, El Salvador, Jamaica, Philippines, Romania and Thailand using WU.com, the Western Union app, or from many of Western Union’s US retail locations.

“Western Union and Visa share a vision for modern money movement, one that ensures cross-border payments are reliable, efficient and transparent, with convenience and the customer’s channel of choice at the centre of our customer experience,” said Gabriella Fitzgerald, President of the Americas Region, Western Union. “Our partnership with Visa underscores the benefits that collaboration brings to realizing this shared vision for our joint customers around the globe.”

“Visa is transforming cross-border payments with Visa Direct by helping to bring the ability to securely send and receive funds in near-real-time to more use cases around the world,” said Yanilsa Gonzalez-Ore, senior vice president, North America head, Visa Direct.

“Through this partnership, we are using Western Union’s digital capabilities to help US customers send money to their family and friends and provide a means to help with bills, as a gift, or for an emergency.”

Western Union previously offered customers an international prepaid debit card, NetSpend, to send and receive money.

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WASA employees pump out water from a ten-foot-wide sinkhole on the Western Main Road, St James, on Tuesday evening. – Angelo Marcelle

The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) said the leak which caused a sinkhole along the Western Main Road, St. James was repaired by 6 am on Wednesday. It said the roadway had also been repaired.

Speaking to Newsday on Wednesday, corporate communications manager Gregory Roxborough said original estimates were that both the leak and the roadway could be repaired by 6 am on Wednesday.

“The job was carded to finish at 6 am and they stuck to that. The repairs were completed and everything is back to normal.”

The hole, which was about ten feet wide and four and a half feet deep, appeared late Tuesday evening, and had water pouring out of it into the canal on the westbound side of the road. It was caused by a leak that developed on the16 inch diameter transmission pipeline in the vicinity of the Courts store.

Repair works began at 6 pm on Tuesday evening, and customers in parts of St. James and environs experienced a disruption in their water supply as a result.

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