JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will be providing two new 15-seater minivans to meet the transportation needs of children in State care in the southern and western regions of the island.

 

State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green, made the announcement during his contribution to the 2017/18 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 5.

 

Mr. Green said the buses, which are being provided by the USAID under the Transitional Living Programme for Children in State Care Project, will transport the children to school, court and for medical appointments.

 

The programme is being implemented by the Child Development Agency (CDA) and the Caribbean Child Development Centre (CCDC) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus.

 

Mr. Green said the Ministry will also be expanding the Smile Mobile programme with the acquisition of a 35-seater bus to facilitate psychological assessments of children.

 

The retrofitted unit will be staffed by two clinical psychologists as well as one social worker and a driver. This brings the number of Smile Mobile units to two.

 

“It has borne significant fruit, but the reality is that we only had one. Come Friday (April 7), we will be unveiling another Smile Mobile to go into the western region,” he informed.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green.