After hours of being behind closed doors in Committee Stage, members of the House of Assembly yesterday December 20, 2013 returned to pass the Public Assistance Act 2013 which saw revisions to the 50-year-old Act. Photo: VINO/File

The new Act was placed on the table of the HOA by Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton who sits at the helm of the Ministry of Health and Social Development. Photo: VINO/File

Strong words of caution came from Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn who said, among other things, the issue of confidentiality is very important in ensuring the success of the programme. Photo: VINO/File

Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering was the first to stand and denounce having persons who were not confidential and caring on the committee when the act takes full effect. Photo: VINO/File

Representative of the Second District Honourable J. Alvin Christoper, who was the first to rise from the opposite side of the House, made it clear from the onset that the bill had his full support. Photo: VINO/File

The new Act was placed on the table of the HOA by Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton who sits at the helm of the Ministry of Health and Social Development. Hon. Skelton appealed with fellow members of the House to support the new document.

According to Hon. Skelton, the ministry's hands were bound by the aged old policy restricting them from rendering much needed assistance to persons who were in dire need of some bit more than what was required by law.

"The committee could only follow the law and has been asking to amend the Act to meet the needs of the members of society who needed it," Hon. Skelton told the House.

"Sometimes we needed to give a little more than what was required by law," he added.

While he did get the required support for the new Act to be passed it did not come without strong warning and pleas from members who, for the greater part, stressed the need to have competent persons serve as members of the committee of management.

This cautionary appeal came from both sides of the House. Strong words of caution came from Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn who said, among other things, the issue of confidentiality is very important in ensuring the success of the programme.

"Very important .. Because you need people who can see people's business and keep their mouth shut, Madam Speaker.," stressed Hon. Walwyn.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering was the first to stand and denounce having persons who were not confidential and caring on the committee when the act takes full effect.

"Individuals don't have to feel because so and so on the committee and because so and so is in the Social Works Department they are not going to be able to get the help they need. That's what this bill seeks to do, modernizing the legislation to ensure that public assistance is available for those when they need it and that they can feel secured.," said Hon. Pickering.

He also noted that the bill is part of the process of updating the legislation of the VI and the including of new components.

Representative of the Second District Honourable J. Alvin Christoper, who was the first to rise from the opposite side of the House, made it clear from the onset that the bill had his full support. This, he said, was a well needed revision as social issues in the territory were way past doubled in recent years.

He, however, indicated that he was prepared to deliberate at length on especially two sections of the bill, 'Sections 19 and 27', which he said he had serious issues with.

According to Hon. Christopher, the bill came at a time when it is most needed as District Representatives felt the pain of persons who needed assistance the most.

He told Parliament that ever so often persons turned to the District Representatives for assistance as they could not have gotten it from the rightful ministry because of the old structure of the 50-year-old bill.

This was also the claim of Member for the Sixth District Honourable Alvera Maduro-Caines who said she was guilty of sometimes "cussing out" in her attempts to get assistance for persons who would have approached her on numerous occasions.