Matthew Town, Inagua – February 12, 2019 – Bahamas – Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie Campbell concluded a three-day visit to the islands of Mayaguana and Inagua over the weekend with a stop at the Inagua All-Age School.
The Minister joined school officials and
students for a Special Assembly recognizing Third Grade teacher Mrs. Tara
Burrows as Teacher of the Year for the MICAL District, before returning to New
Providence in the afternoon.
Minister Campbell also used the opportunity
to celebrate International Day of Girls and Women in Science (IDGWS) with
female students and teachers. IDGWS is a United Nations event that is
celebrated annually around the globe.
Minister Campbell began his visit to the
country’s two most southern islands in Mayaguana (Friday, February 8) where he
addressed students at the Abraham’s Bay High School, before moving on to
address students at the Pirate’s Well Primary School.
Officials of the Ministry of Social Services
joined residents of Mayaguana at the finale of a week-long Revival Service on
Friday night at the Church of God of Prophecy in Abraham’s Bay before hosting a
Community Meeting on Saturday morning (February 9).
Minister Campbell and his team departed
Mayaguana Saturday afternoon for Matthew Town, Inagua, where they hosted another
Community Meeting, this time at the St. Philip’s Anglican Church Community
Centre. The team also attended morning Mass at St. Philip’s where they were
able to have a number of additional conversations regarding the ministry’s
role, following the service.
Minister Campbell said the purpose of the
visits was to personally explain how the various Departments and Divisions that
help to form the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development “come
together to support the whole man/woman” so that the message can get to all
Bahamians everywhere.
The Social Services Minister said the various
on-island engagements also provided Social Services officials with an
opportunity to address as many diverse groupings as possible – covering
schools, church groupings, parents, guardians, business owners,
non-governmental organizations and individual residents.
The team also performed a number of
assessments where necessary, while also addressing the issue of developing
greater public/private partnerships.
Officials explained that while the provision
of assistance is an important part of the services they provide, the Ministry
and its various Departments and Divisions are responsible for so much more.
The “coming together to support the whole man
and woman” covers everything from child protection to gender equality; children
and families services; rehabilitation and welfare programmes; rental,
electricity, burial, food and appliances assistance programmes; community
development; programmes for Senior Citizens; programmes for teen mothers;
programmes to prevent violence against women and men, and ensuring equity for
persons living with disabilities, among many others.
The Ministry also facilitates programmes for
at-risk youth; sponsors After-School Programmes and facilitates Anger
Management Programmes through the Urban Renewal Commission.
The Ministry is further responsible for
reporting to the United Nations and its Committees, and several other regional
and international bodies/conventions pertaining to all of the aforementioned.
Minister Campbell, who has been on the job
for seven months, told the residents that it was “very important” to put “boots
on the ground” and meet with them face-to-face, while also learning firsthand
of any concerns they may have.
Minister Campbell took the opportunity to
explain, step-by-step, the roles each Department and Division plays. He also
outlined the programmes that exist for the benefit of Bahamians and detailed
how both the services and programmes can be accessed.
“The Ministry of Social Services and Urban
Development is one of those ministries that take responsibility for individuals
who qualify for assistance from the womb to the tomb,” Minister Campbell said.
“Its mission, assignment, and goal, is to
ensure that Bahamians everywhere know of all of the services/programmes that
are available to them, and how they should go about accessing those
services/programmes.
“I wanted to be here with you; my team wanted
to be here with you to hold these discussions and advise you of all of the
possibilities, face-to-face, where you live, in order for you to have a better
understanding of all that we do.”
Minister Campbell outlined the “process” of
accessing the various kinds of assistance available when needed, advising
residents in both island-communities that the process was necessary to ensure
that those persons most in need of the assistance, are able to benefit from
that assistance.
Minister Campbell was accompanied by Mrs. Lillian Quant-Forbes, Director of Social Services; Dr. Jacintha Higgs, Director of the Department of Gender and Family Affairs; Ms. Maria Kelley, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities; and Ms. Sheryl Knowles, Programmes and Special Projects Coordinator for the Urban Renewal Commission.
By: Matt Maura
Release: BIS
Photo Captions:
Header: Student participants in the Mayaguana Junior Councilors Programme greet Minister of Social Servces and Urban development, the Hon. FrankieCampbell upon his arrival at the Abraham’s Bay High School Friday, February 8. Minister Campbell kicked off his visit to Mayaguana and Inagua with a stop at the High School.
Insert: Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell uses the chalkboard to explain the functions of the ministry and its Departments and Divisions to students of the Pirates Well Primary School, Mayaguana, Friday, February 8, on the first leg of his weekend visit to Mayaguana and Inagua. Mr. Campbell concluded the visit with a stop at the Inagua All- Age School where he participated in a Special Assembly held at the school to honour Third Grade teacher Mrs. Tara Burrows as Teacher of the Year for the MICAL District.
(BIS Photo/Matt Maura)