SOCIAL SECTOR INVESTMENT PROGRAMME
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SUSTAINING GROWTH, SECURING PROSPERITY
CHAPTER 3: NATIONAL SOCIAL SITUATION
October 2012 to March 2013 the following were
undertaken:
• Launched the Elderly and Differently-abled
Mobile Service (ELDAMO) - The Elderly and
Differently-Abled Mobile Service (ELDAMO)
was launched on Monday 3rd December,
2012. The service is a collaborative effort
between the Ministry of the People and
Social Development and the PublicTransport
Service Corporation (PTSC) that caters to
the transportation needs of the elderly and
disabled members of our society. A fleet of
24 buses is assigned to Trinidad and Tobago
with three buses dispatched to Tobago.
Persons can access these Para Transit buses
with a dial-a-ride system 800-RIDE.
• Launched a new Senior Activity Centre in
Woodbrook, bringing the total number of
centres in Trinidad to eight.
• Hosted two Open Public Forum for Older
Persons in Brazil Village and Tobago;
• Hosted the Inaugural Seniors Cultural
Pageant to showcase the talent and cultural
expression of senior citizens;
• Conducted two Seminars on Human Rights
and the Elderly at Macoya and Tobago. The
seminars were designed to elder abuse and
violation of the rights of older persons.
B. Children and Youth
• In March 2013, the Ministry of Gender,
Youth and Child Development (MGYCD), in
collaboration with the Ministry of Planning
and Sustainable Development and UNICEF,
hosted the ‘Vision and Planning for Children’
meeting with key stakeholders in an effort
to establish a joint work plan to address
important areas of child development.
Among the topics explored was the National
Strategy for Child’s Rights, due to come on-
stream in 2013-14. The National Strategy
aims at mainstreaming children’s rights
in all Trinidad and Tobago’s actions, would
ensure that the individuals involved in
mainstreaming children’s rights have the
necessary skills and tools.
• In February 2013, as part of its Child
Protection Campaign, the Ministry created
a short series on child protection to address
child protection issues during the carnival
season. This was aired on various television
stations throughout a period of three weeks.
The Ministry also continued to provide
support to the Children’s Authority of
Trinidad and Tobago (CATT).
• Concomitant with the Children Act No 10 of
2012, The National Strategic Plan for Child
Development in Trinidad and Tobago (2012-
16) (NSPCD) was approved by Cabinet. An
Inter-Ministerial Committee was established
tofacilitatecommunicationandcollaboration
among Ministries on the goals outlined in
the NSPCD. Cabinet has also agreed to the
establishment of an Advisory Council for
the implementation and monitoring of the
NSPCD.
• A National Children’s Registry is also being
established as a mechanism to further
facilitate Child Protection. Two meetings
were convened to build collaboration and
coordination of key activities critical to the
development of the Registry. The purpose
of this Registry is to protect and monitor
the growth, care and development of
children throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
The Registry will be a government database
that collects and holds information on all
children (i.e. persons under the age of 18).
It is envisioned that the National Children’s
Registry will transform children services
through adequate and sustained support
for more effective and early detection. It
would also provide an effective mechanism
for information sharing, better and faster
communication among key practitioners
across the sectors of education, health,
social services, justice and national security.
• TheMGYCDalsohas responsibility for several
statutory organisations and institutions.
