As more people join the breadline, more are turning to the Welfare Department for help.
But the numbers are not significantly up, says Minister of Social Care Steve Blackett.
In any event, he added, the ministry had sought and had been given about half-a-million dollars to help shore up its services, just in case.
Blackett was speaking to the Daily Nation after a church service yesterday to mark the 34th anniversary of the National Assistance Board (NAB) at the James Street Methodist Church in Bridgetown.
He said the numbers accessing the services of the department were up because the people “who were retrenched are probably still using their exit payments, in terms of their severance payments”.
However, the minister said officials there had made provisions, through last year’s Estimates, for a supplementary of $500 000. (HLE)
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