By Damion Mitchell, Staff ReporterTHE 2004/05 budgetary allocation to the Social and Economic Support Programme (SESP) could be reduced by almost a third as part of efforts to contain Government expenditures, The Gleaner has learned.
But according to Edwin Nugent, monitoring officer in the SESP unit, the programme will still be pursuing its Inter-American Development Bank-sponsored reform programme to allow for more individuals to be assisted directly.
Currently assistance is funneled primarily through organisations.
ADDRESS THE STRIPPING
The reform is also expected to address the stripping of the SESP's educational assistance component, which is being considered for inclusion under the Programme for Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), another welfare programme that already assists students with fees. For the fiscal year ending March 31, this year, the budget for the SESP was $430 million with the 60 Members of Parliament being slated to receive between $4 million and $5 million for social projects.
A one-third cut would see the fund being slashed by over $140 million.
According to Mr. Nugent, the actual amounts allocated to MPs this year have already been reduced as a result of the cash crunch, and that constituency representatives now receive between $3 million and $3.5 million.
"It is the first time that we have had this," Mr. Nugent told The Gleaner, adding that a consistent recurrence was not expected.
In the meantime Delroy Chuck, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) MP for North Eastern St. Andrew, said a reduction in SESP funds in the pending budget year would further compound the difficulties MPs face in executing some of their projects.
"In fact it would put a lot of MPs' credibility in jeopardy," he said.
Mr. Chuck explained that many MPs were in arrears for goods and services they had acquired to fund projects for their constituents, but which are yet to be paid for through the SESP.
"I know that a number of MPs still owe for stuff taken during this fiscal year and are awaiting the balance a lot of money to discharge their obligation.
"You take uniform, school vouchers and so on and often people will give you credit with the expectation that the money will come but when you cut back, a lot of MPs will be in difficulties with their creditors," he said.
Efforts to get a response from People's National Party MPs, including party chairman Robert Pickersgill, were unsuccessful.
The SESP Unit, which operates out of the Office of the Prime Minister, was established in October 1990 to assist with social development, especially in rural areas.
Currently, under the SESP, only about 10 per cent of total benefits go directly to individuals according to Mr. Nugent, however, he said that with the reform of the unit the pilot programme for which gets under way in April more persons would be assisted.
The pilot project, he said, would be implemented in the constituencies of South St. Catherine, East Central St. Catherine, Western Kingston and North East St. Ann.
