Regarding the NDP government’s proposal for public assistance, Leader of the Opposition Ralph Gonsalves challenged the government’s claim that they are “doubling” public assistance to $500 per month.
He noted that his administration left the payment at $360 per month; therefore, a true doubling would result in $720 per month, not $500.
A major policy concern raised was the discrepancy between the proposed public assistance ($500) and the National Insurance Services (NIS) minimum pension, which stands at $320 per month.
Gonsalves said this creates “incongruence” and unfairness, where those who contributed to the social security system all their lives receive significantly less than those receiving non-contributory public assistance.
He warned that paying public assistance at a rate higher than the minimum pension would discourage people from registering for the NIS, stating that workers might question the value of paying contributions if they could receive more money through free public assistance, potentially undermining the goal of having universal NIS coverage.
Gonsalves asserted that the actual allocation in the budget estimates does not contain enough money to accommodate the extent of the announced increase.