TT help for Bajan Smart Card

Social Development Minister Dr Amery Browne made the announcement at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.

Browne said Cabinet agreed that technical assistance be provided to Barbados to develop this programme as part of its participation in phase two of an Organisation of American States (OAS) initiative.

Recalling that Government launched its TT Card in December 2006, Browne said, “TT has considerable experience and leads the rest of the Caribbean with regard to the implementation of 20-based initiatives.”

He said a team from Barbados will arrive in the country in the first two weeks of April to study the TT targeted conditional cash transfer programme and its new “Step Up” component.

“Step Up is a new comp to take families and households participating in this programme to a new level of empowerment and development and assisting in the transfer of individuals out of poverty,” Browne stated. He said St Lucia has already sought TT’s assistance in these matters and St Vincent is soon to launch its own smart card system.

Following a comprehensive review of the TT Card programme last December, Browne said there are 27,000 active participant families on the programme and 6,800 households were taken off the programme after it was determined they no longer needed its support. Between January and March, Browne said 2,300 additional households were brought on the programme.

“This is evidence of a very aggressive outreach programme that is being conducted in communities at need,” he stated

Browne added that efforts are being made to help individuals in a community near Guanapo to access the Step Up component of the TT Card system. The Heights of Guanapo has been in the spotlight recently due to the construction of the Lighthouse of the Lord Jesus Christ Church there. Prime Minister Patrick Manning has denied allegations that he is connected to that church.