Days before the opening of the 2012/2013 academic year Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin said the government is looking to revamp the uniform assistance programme making it easier for the programme’s recipients.

Over the years, Mrs. Griffin said the programme has posed major challenges to the department due to the fact that thousands of less fortunate Bahamians flock to Social Services for help with their children’s uniform needs.

“We’re trying to simplify the process so that it wouldn’t be so labour intensive or such a lengthy process” she said. “So what we used to do in the past is, the social worker, after doing all the assessments, would usually have to go and purchase the uniforms and have them there and distribute them. But now they will be given something almost like food coupons.”

But with the new changes, Mrs. Griffin said the recipients will now be given invoices who would then take them to the vendors and are able to pick up the uniforms themselves.

She added that changes are also on tap for other social service programmes.

Mrs. Griffin explained to the Bahama Journal recently that very soon the government will increase the allocation to the uniform assistance programme and other programmes the ministry has to offer to help Bahamians who are struggling.

The Department of Social Services recorded an expenditure of $338,207 in 2011 on its uniform assistance programme.



In New Providence alone, 2,770 children received uniforms from the government.