The Social Development Department has underscored its commitment to ensure confidentiality and equity in delivering public assistance to persons across the Virgin Islands.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development, Miss Tasha Bertie in remarks at a recent Table Talks Session which focused on Accessing Public Assistance, said the transition to the current system where public assistance grants are streamlined under the Social Development Department has promoted transparency and equity across the board.

Miss Bertie said, "We are pleased with what we have seen with the transition. While we were comfortable with what existed before, we now have an enhanced approach to correctly channel and properly manage all grants, ensuring equity across the board.

Meanwhile, Chief Social Development Officer Mrs. Annie Malone-Frett said the transition also allowed the department to move away from a manual system of recording information on Public Assistance to digital record keeping.

Mrs. Malone-Frett said, "we are using a digital system and that makes things much easier and people do not have to wait a long time to get assistance and not to mention it has streamlined and assisted us greatly in our reporting obligations to the ministry." 

The work on enhancement of the process and the digitization of the resources was done with support from the World Food Program, with funding coming from the Sustainable Development Goal.

In addition, Programme Director for Children and Family Support Services, Miss Laurel Freeman also emphasised the confidentiality of the Public Assistance Programme and how the Social Development Department takes extensive steps to ensure that the information of persons requesting assistance is protected.

Miss Freeman said, "The applications are only recognised by your NHI number. So nobody would know who the person is. If you do not have an NHI number, we use your Social Security number, and if you do not have your Social Security, we use your passport. If you do not have a passport, we use your birth certificate or driver's license."

Since the recommendations of terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry were agreed on in 2022, the Ministry of Health and Social Development has stepped up its mandate regarding transforming public assistance in the Virgin Islands.

            With confidentiality and equity being major concerns of the public, the Social Development Department has made several steps to ensure that access to public assistance is easy and accessible for qualified individuals and that their information is protected once they engage the department for assistance.

            The Government of the Virgin Islands continues to strengthen its standards by providing good governance through improved infrastructure, enhanced delivery of public services and justice for all.

 It is committed to ensuring greater confidence in the ability to deliver to the people of the Virgin Islands easier access to services through inclusion, greater enforcement, enhanced safety and security, effective communication, socio-economic and political ability, value for money, continued accountability, greater transparency and building capacity. This is "Government Business at its Best".