Allocation for social protection increases to $20 bn: Jamaica Minister

The Jamaica Government has announced a 25 per cent increase in the allocation for major social protection programmes, moving from $16 billion in 2018/19 to $20 billion in 2019/20.

These include the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), and the network of social services provided for the poor and vulnerable.

“That is protection of the vulnerable in action,” Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, said as he opened the 2019/20 Budget debate in the House of Representatives on March 7.

He also informed that the Government will be adopting a more strategic approach to social protection and poverty reduction in Jamaica.

“A strategic medium to long-term focus will include a comprehensive public expenditure review of the existing interventions to analyse targeting; graduation rates; efficiency; and ensure adequate funding for key interventions,” Dr. Clarke said.

He added that the public expenditure review will allow for better targeting and outcomes, reduction in non-compliance, and improve the deployment of case workers in order to ensure that conditionalities are met.