While legislation is important, its absence did not prevent the Ministry of Labour and Social Security from delivering social benefits and social transfers to persons in need.

That’s the comment from the Ministry’s Acting Permanent Secretary, Dione Jennings, regarding a recommendation outlined in the Auditor General (AG’s) recent performance report of social assistance programmes in the country.

The AG suggested that the Ministry expedites the finalisation and implementation of a comprehensive legislative framework for social assistance.

Speaking during this morning’s sitting of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Ms. Jennings noted that the AG’s proposal had been a key focus area in the Ministry 25 years ago but fell from the legislative agenda some time later.

She said a social development strategy was developed to guide the operations of the social assistance programmes.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary also addressed the AG’s proposal that the Ministry establish a centralised beneficiary database.